The Pandemic Response Commons

ObjectiveA data commons is a software platform for managing, curating, analyzing, and sharing data with a community. The Pandemic Response Commons is a data commons designed to provide a data platform for researchers studying an epidemic or pandemic. MethodsThe pandemic response commons was developed using the open source Gen3 data platform and is based upon consortium, data, and platform agreements developed by the not-for-profit Open Commons Consortium. A formal consortium of Chicagoland area organizations was formed to develop and operate the pandemic response commons. ResultsWe developed a general pandemic response commons and an instance of it for the Chicagoland region called the Chicagoland COVID-19 Commons. A Gen3 data platform was set up and operated with policies, procedures and controls based upon NIST SP 800-53. A consensus data model for the commons was developed, and a variety of datasets were curated, harmonized and ingested, including statistical summary data about COVID cases, patient level clinical data, and SARS-CoV-2 viral variant data. Discussion and conclusionGiven the various legal and data agreements required to operate a data commons, a pandemic response commons is designed to be in place and operating at a low level prior to the occurrence of an epidemic, with the activities increasing as required during an epidemic. A regional instance of a Pandemic Response Commons is designed to be part of a broader data ecosystem or data mesh consisting of multiple regional commons supporting pandemic response through sharing of regional data.

Racial/Ethnic Disparities in the Observed COVID-19 Case Fatality Rate Among the U.S. Population

PurposeDuring the initial 12 months of the pandemic, racial and ethnic disparities in COVID-19 death rates received considerable attention but it has been unclear whether disparities in death rates were due to disparities in case fatality rates (CFRs), incidence rates or both. We examined differences in observed COVID-19 case fatality rates (CFRs) between U.S. Whites, Blacks/African Americans and Latinx during this period. MethodsUsing data from the COVID Tracking Project (CTP) and the CDCs COVID-19 Case Surveillance Public Use dataset, we calculated CFR ratios comparing minority groups to Whites, both overall and separately by age group. We also used a model of monthly COVID-19 deaths to estimate CFR ratios, adjusting for age, gender, and differences across states and time. ResultsOverall Blacks and Latinx had lower CFRs than Whites. However, when adjusting for age, Blacks and Latinx had higher CFRs than Whites among those younger than 65. CFRs varied substantially across states and time. ConclusionsDisparities in COVID-19 case fatality among U.S. Blacks and Latinx under age 65 were evident during the first year of the pandemic. Understanding racial/ethnic differences in COVID-19 CFRs is challenging due to limitations in available data.