We are delighted to announce that the MRC Biostatistics Unit (BSU) COVID-19 Working Group, led by Daniela De Angelis, has received a Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Modelling (SPI-M-O) Award for Modelling and Data Support (SAMDS).

Epidemiological and modelling advice has been vital in the government’s response to tackling the COVID-19 pandemic. The Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Modelling (SPI-M-O) and Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) recognise that this has involved teams of people, who have worked long and unsociable hours to ensure the government has had access to world leading scientific evidence. The awards have been introduced to acknowledge those people who have made an exceptional contribution to the work of SPI-M-O outside of their usual work activity. 

Over the last two and a half years, Daniela and the MRC Biostatistics Unit COVID-19 Working Group (Anne Presanis, Shaun Seaman, Tommy Nyberg, Colin Starr, Angelos Alexopoulos, Pantelis Samartsidis, Joshua Blake, Peter Kirwan, David Pascall and Sanmitra Ghosh, supported by Paul Birrell at the UK Health Security Agency), have been actively engaged in monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic, informing policy decisions and improving public understanding. Their work on both nowcasting and forecasting and also severity, provided the UK government and the wider public, with crucial up to date regional estimates of ongoing transmission, current numbers of infections, projection of burden, as well as critical estimates of the risk of severe disease by age group and variant. This information directly led to policies that have saved thousands of lives over the course of the pandemic. 

Daniela said:

I am very honored to have worked with these scientists who have unselfishly given their time to help in the pandemic response. What a great team achievement!” 

Many congratulations to Daniela and the BSU team on this well-deserved award.