This article originally appeared on the CIA COVID-19 Hub.
Media release
Actuaries highlight need for more robust data on COVID-19 victims
Ottawa, May 11, 2020 – An important challenge presented by COVID-19 is that of information. We are faced with a critical need to better understand the nature of the virus, how it spreads, who is at risk, and which groups face higher mortality.
We congratulate the significant efforts that governments and public health officials have invested until now to mitigate and manage the challenges brought on by such an unprecedented crisis.
Nevertheless, many experts are trying to address the COVID-19 questions we still face. To do so, they need reliable and detailed data on Canada’s patients and victims. This increased access to COVID-19 data will also result in more data analysis, sparking greater debate of ideas in the public sphere. This is essential for informing ongoing discussions, enhancing the decisions that are being taken, and providing more thorough information to Canadians.
The Canadian Institute of Actuaries calls on Canadian governments and public institutions to expand the quality and depth of the data collected and made available in relation to COVID-19.
“We know that collecting more complete data on Canada’s COVID-19 victims is not a small undertaking, but we believe that the cost of not acting now is too great,” says Marc Tardif, FCIA, President of the Canadian Institute of Actuaries.
Data is the lifeblood of effective risk management. COVID-19 has proven dramatically that collective effort from professionals in all areas is needed to address such a crisis. The results from our joint efforts will help our governments make better decisions as they move towards gradual deconfinement.
We must also start preparing for the possibility of other waves of COVID-19 or another similar pandemic in our future, and the data we collect now will ensure the people, organizations, and social nets in Canada are better prepared.
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For more information or to set up an interview, please contact:
Sandra Caya
Director, Communications and Public Affairs, Canadian Institute of Actuaries
sandra.caya@cia-ica.ca
613-236-8196 ext. 116
