The COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally changed the world compared to how we knew it in the late 2019. Irrespective of the country we live or work in, the way globalisation makes us interdependent of each other makes us all affected by the consequences of the crisis. The widespread measures introduced by governments to contain COVID-19 pandemic led to temporary shutdowns in businesses, disruptions in the international supply chains, and restrictions in mobility. Furthermore, the measures have disrupted the way people work, learn, socialise and consume, inducing a transformation of societal

To complement the initiatives mentioned in the story, the European Data Portal created two interactive visualisations: Unemployment and GDP growth and global financial measures.

To slow down the spread of the COVID-19 virus, most countries around the world have implemented restrictive measures (for more information read our data story on governmental measures), such as national quarantines, the closing of workplaces, and international travel bans. These measures have already had severe economic consequences for the global economy, e.g., the massive reduction in air traffic discussed in

The lessons we learned from previous outbreaks, combined with our current capacity to collect and process data, shape a more data-driven and evidence-based response against COVID-19. In the first part of this data story, we explored the historical role of data in epidemics and pandemics over the past century and highlighted how the role of data in COVID-19 is different. In this second part, we describe what we can learn from this pandemic, including the importance of preserving data, knowledge and experience that can save human lives in the future. The question is: can data help the world

Over the past decades all data technologies, from data acquisition and processing to storing and publishing have become cheaper than ever before. This revolutionised the world by providing unprecedented opportunities to produce insights from data. Scientists embrace these opportunities in many aspects of life, illustrated by how big data and data analytics technology and practices have become mainstream, such as in business, the public sector, mobility, and now, outbreaks.

The ease of use and accessibility of data technology is very visible during the current pandemic, where data on COVID-19

In order to flatten the curve of the rapid spread of COVID-19, many countries implemented restrictions such as closing schools, factories, and offices as well as cancelling public events. For information on the restrictions implemented by countries read our data story about the Oxford Government Response Tracker. In many countries, these governmental measures include a request for citizens to stay at home as much as possible and travel restrictions. As a consequence, there has been a massive reduction in traffic on the roads as well as in air transport (e.g. the number of European daily

Several measures have been taken by countries worldwide to reduce the spread of COVID-19. As some countries start to experience a decrease in the intensity of the spread, the question ‘how to safely go back to normal’ arises. As COVID-19 is not likely to stop being a medical emergency anytime soon, authorities are assessing how they can slowly allow businesses and citizens to resume their ‘normal’ activities, with the virus still being present. 

One of the approaches to have a better control of the medical risk of going back to conventional social interactions is the use of contact-tracing

COVID-19 is spreading rapidly across the globe. This spread has led national governments to take a wide range of measures, such as closing public spaces and schools, and introducing travel bans. However, these governmental responses and the pace at which they occur vary significantly from one country to another. These differences have created a debate between policymakers and the public on the appropriate response to the situation. 

The Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker was created by the University of Oxford. It documents government responses to COVID-19 in different countries