By Margaretta Colangelo, cofounder and managing partner at Deep Knowledge Group, the consortium behind the data presented in this story. Its subsidiaries include venture capital fund Deep Knowledge Ventures.

Source: CogWorld on Forbes

A massive amount of data about the pandemic is generated every day. Although organizations such as WHO, CDC, Johns Hopkins University, and Worldometers are disseminating important statistics daily, the data is not analyzed in an efficient way to provide insights. The COVID-19 pandemic is a complex system involving biology, human behavior, companies, and governments, and it’s influenced by healthcare, economics, governance, and geopolitics. Sophisticated analytical methods could help improve economic, societal, and geopolitical stability. Deep Knowledge Group has developed advanced analytical frameworks to analyze this data. The results are presented in the form of open source country rankings to help people and governments make informed decisions that maximize beneficial outcomes for humanity.

When the seriousness of the pandemic became clear, Deep Knowledge Group adapted its existing analytical frameworks, previously applied to complex domains such as AI for Drug Discovery and NeuroTech, to the global COVID-19 pandemic landscape. A team of experts collected and analyzed data generated for 200 countries around the world. The results, based on deep analysis of 60 countries, was released today. To communicate the insights in a practical way, the analysts developed a ranking system. The rankings can be used as a tool for businesses and governments to aid in effective decision making and could assist response efforts in order to maximize health, stabilize economies, and help communities reopen for business. The analytical methodology will be adjusted over the next few months for advanced and qualitative assessment and AI may be used to analyze this data in the most efficient way.

COVID-19 Complexity Demands Sophisticated Analytics

The COVID-19 analytical frameworks have been designed to rapidly assess the changing situation in countries as they strive to mitigate the health and economic consequences of the virus. Big Data Analysis is applied to quantified and relevant parameters. By comparing them in tangible ways, they are able to serve as practical tools for decision makers. The analytics are fact-based and unbiased and can be accessed free of charge. Proprietary metrics and analytical techniques may be disclosed to relevant organizations and responsible governmental bodies.

The analysis revealed that some countries proved very effective at combating COVID-19 early on. These countries focused on early prevention by deploying quarantine measures before the number of confirmed cases surpassed 50,000, and using efficient methods for treating hospitalized patients. For example, China and Germany rapidly mobilizing emergency efforts early on to contain the virus and increase hospital capacity. They utilized technologies including AI, robotics, and big data analysis, in combination with medical treatment and healthcare management techniques structured in a sophisticated way. 

Scoring and Methodology

Deep Knowledge Group’s recent ​COVID-19 Countries Health Safety Ranking​ has attracted significant public interest. The ranking was acknowledged by Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and personally by Prime Minister Netanyahu.

Each country was ranked with a numerical score constructed using a well defined methodology. Each ranking is given a specific weighting, or importance factor, that is used as inputs in proprietary analytical equations. These mathematical ranking frameworks were developed over the past five years for use in highly complex and multidimensional industries and domains including the AI for drug discovery sector. The frameworks have been designed to rapidly and adaptively evaluate the situation in countries as they work to mitigate the health and economic consequences of the virus. In addition to updating the country rankings weekly, Deep Knowledge Group plans to periodically release new frameworks that rank countries in additional areas such as economic vulnerability, geopolitical risk, and possible asymmetric benefits that may result from the crisis.

Safety Ranking

The COVID-19 Safety Ranking Framework conducts benchmarking to determine levels of health and safety for each country during the pandemic. Data for over 200 countries was analyzed and sixty countries were ultimately included in the rankings. The countries were evaluated using 24 specific parameters in 4 distinct categories: Quarantine Efficiency, Government Management Efficiency, Monitoring and Detection, and Emergency Treatment Readiness. The Safety and Risk Rankings take into account protection from COVID infection, mortality and negative patient outcomes, metrics on quarantining and infection monitoring, detection, and management, and safety and stability in the broadest sense, including protection from extreme negative outcomes as a result of the pandemic beyond health. Countries that are unable to neutralize this pandemic could trigger a chain of events leading to negative outcomes for entire nations, as well as their geographic and economic neighbors. We saw such a scenario unfold with ISIS in Syria which led to a flood of refugees into Europe. Therefore, in formulating the Safety and Risk Rankings, parameters relating to countries’ stability and protection from negative economic and geopolitical consequences were considered.

The framework features 24 parameters grouped into 4 major categories:

1. Quarantine Efficiency

2. Government Management Efficiency

3. Monitoring and Detection

4. Emergency Treatment Readiness

Risk Ranking

The COVID-19 Risk Ranking Framework conducts benchmarking of countries according to their levels of risk according to a variety of medical and non-medical factors, including risk of infection, hospitalization, death and lasting health conditions, as well as the country’s risk of negative economic, quality-of-life and geopolitical issues resulting from the pandemic. The framework is used to provide information on which countries where citizens will have the greatest likelihood of positive outcomes during the global COVID-19 pandemic, across the full-scope of factors impacting general safety, wellness and quality of life. It utilizes 24 specific parameters grouped into 4 distinct categories: Infection Spread Risk, Government Management, Healthcare Efficiency and Regional Specific Risks.

The framework features 24 parameters grouped into 4 major categories:

1. Infection Spread Risk

2. Government Management

3. Healthcare Efficiency

4. Regional Specific Risks

Treatment Efficiency Ranking

The COVID-19 Treatment Efficiency Ranking Framework conducts benchmarking of countries according to how well they are monitoring infection spread, enabling citizens with the tools and information needed to manage non-critical cases at home without overburdening the healthcare infrastructure, how well they are treating critical cases and how well they are rapidly developing improved tests, vaccines and more effective COVID-19 treatments. Disease Monitoring, Disease Management, Emergency Treatment and Novel Approaches to Treatment R&D.

The framework features 24 parameters grouped into 4 major categories:

1. Disease Monitoring

2. Disease Management

3. Emergency Treatment

4. Novel Approaches to Treatment R&D

Eurozone Safety / Risk Ranking

The COVID-19 Eurozone Safety / Risk Ranking Framework was designed specifically for the unique circumstances present in Europe. Special attention was applied to the unique characteristics of Europe including highly interconnected economies, high levels of supply-chain, tourist flow, and the incidence of critical hotspots.

Asia Safety / Risk Ranking

The COVID-19 APAC Safety / Risk Ranking Framework applies a modified version of its global COVID-19 Countries Safety and Risk Ranking Frameworks tuned to the specifics of the APAC. Given that the pandemic originated in APAC, and that it is several weeks ahead of other countries in the overall timeline of the COVID-19, special attention should be given to the unique characteristics of the region.

Government Support and Citizen Relief Ranking

The COVID-19 Government Support and Citizen Relief Ranking Framework conducts benchmarking of countries according to the scale, diversity, efficiency and effectiveness of its government’s efforts and measures to provide economic support (e.g. supplemental income, tax breaks, subsidies, emergency loans, etc.) to its citizens, businesses (especially SMEs), the self-employed and other relevant stakeholders amid the COVID-19 crisis.

Given the unprecedented complexity of the pandemic, Deep Knowledge Group made the decision to adapt and retune its existing analytical frameworks to the pandemic. These frameworks were previously applied to the Longevity Industry, AI for Drug Discovery, GovTech, NeuroTech and other industries and domains on the forefront of DeepTech and Frontier Technologies. The new rankings are provided free of charge in order to provide governments, decision makers, and the general public with data-driven insights. The hope is that this information will help people make informed decisions that maximize beneficial outcomes for humanity. To review the complete rankings please visit the Deep Knowledge Group website.

Margaretta Colangelo is cofounder and managing partner at Deep Knowledge Group, the consortium behind the data presented in this story. Its subsidiaries include venture capital fund Deep Knowledge Ventures.