Research and analysis

SPI-M-O: Consensus statement on COVID-19, 22 July 2020

Consensus statement from the Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Modelling, Operational sub-group (SPI-M-O) on coronavirus (COVID-19).

• From: Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies
• Published: 7 August 2020
• Last updated: 14 August 2020 — See all updates

Documents

SPI-M-O: Consensus statement on COVID-19 - 22 July 2020

PDF, 984 KB, 10 pages

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Details

Consensus statement from SPI-M-O, on COVID-19. It was considered at SAGE 48 on 23 July 2020.

This paper replaces a previous version. The original did not go to SAGE and had a minor error in a footnote.

It should be viewed in context: the paper was the best assessment of the evidence at the time of writing. The picture is developing rapidly and, as new evidence or data emerges, SAGE updates its advice accordingly.

Therefore, some of the information in this paper may have been superseded and the author’s opinion or conclusion may since have developed.

This paper contains estimates of the reproduction number (R) and growth rate for the UK, 4 nations and NHSE England regions. The values are shown as a range; the most likely true values are somewhere towards the middle of this range.

Estimates of R and growth rates for Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and NHSE England regions are subject to greater uncertainty given the lower number of cases and increased variation.

When the number of cases falls to low levels and/or there is a high degree of variability in transmission across a region, then estimates of R and the growth rate become insufficiently robust to inform policy decisions.

When case numbers are low, fluctuations in the data can have a significant impact on the R and growth rate estimates. Furthermore, when there is a significant amount of variability across a region, for example due to a local outbreak, then a single average value doesn’t accurately reflect the way infections are changing throughout the region.

Different modelling groups use different data sources to estimate these values using mathematical models that simulate the spread of infections. Some may even use all these sources of information to adjust their models to better reflect the real-world situation. There is uncertainty in all these data sources, which is why estimates can vary between different models, and why we do not rely on one model; evidence from several models is considered, discussed, combined, and the growth rate and R are then presented as ranges.

See the latest R number and growth rates in the UK.

These documents are released as pre-print publications that have provided the government with rapid evidence during an emergency. These documents have not been peer-reviewed and there is no restriction on authors submitting and publishing this evidence in peer-reviewed journals.

Published 7 August 2020
Last updated 14 August 2020 + show all updates

1. 14 August 2020

   This paper replaces a previous version. The original did not go to SAGE and had a minor error in a footnote.

2. 7 August 2020

   First published.