Estimation of mask effectiveness perception for small domains using multiple data sources

Understanding the impacts of pandemics on public health and related societal issues at granular levels is of great interest. COVID-19 is affecting everyone in the globe and mask wearing is one of the few precautions against it. To quantify people’s perception of mask effectiveness and to prevent the spread of COVID-19 for small areas, we use Understanding America Study’s (UAS) survey data on COVID-19 as our primary data source. Our data analysis shows that direct survey-weighted estimates for small areas could be highly unreliable. In this paper, we develop a synthetic estimation method to estimate proportions of perceived mask effectiveness for small areas using a logistic model that combines information from multiple data sources. We select our working model using an extensive data analysis facilitated by a new variable selection criterion for survey data and benchmarking ratios. We suggest a jackknife method to estimate the variance of our estimator. From our data analysis, it is evident that our proposed synthetic method outperforms the direct survey-weighted estimator with respect to commonly used evaluation measures. © Aditi Sen, Partha Lahiri.

Effective health screening to prevent infection and control the spreading of COVID-19

Health screening or examinations are of paramount importance from medical perspective as prevention is better than cure. In current pandemic situation, effective health screening is essential to detect COVID-19 in its early stage even when there have been no symptoms or signs of such disease. To prevent the transmission of such contagious infection, source control measures should be implemented for everyone in the facility, regardless of symptoms. Recent literatures stated that infected people having no symptoms also likely to perform a crucial role in the spread of corona virus in the society. To restrict the transmitting of such disease in community, it is imperative to identify the CORONA positive patient at each and every entry point of the market places, railway stations, airport premises, hospital buildings etc. and isolate them in an efficient manner. Rapid qualitative detection of such disease is made through body temperature measurement with IR thermal gun and RT-PCR test. Detection of COVID- 19 positive patient early means getting immediate treatment, restrict & control the transmission of such disease within the facility and limit the exposures for other patients and healthcare personnel. © 2021 Institute of Physics Publishing. All rights reserved.