Which of the measures that governments are taking against the spread of Covid-19 are effective, and which ones make little sense? This burning question, which is of great interest to researchers worldwide, can only be answered on the basis of large data sets.

One of the most comprehensive databases that research institutions worldwide have compiled in recent weeks is the CSH Covid-19 Control Strategies List (CCCSL) of the Complexity Science Hub Vienna (CSH).

“The World Health Organization WHO has also recognized this,” says project manager Amélie Desvars-Larrive (CSH, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna). “Our database is now to be incorporated into a platform of government measures that is currently being developed on behalf of the WHO.

The renowned journal Nature recently reported on this on its news portal.

“The standardized data set is open to scientists for modeling and machine learning,” says Desvar-Larrive. “In the medium term, we hope that further questions, for example on the economic effects of government measures, can be answered.

The CCCSL is constantly being expanded and currently comprises some 170 different types of measures in 52 countries plus the cruise ship Diamond Princess.