The Imperial College COVID-19 Response Team received the Award for Modelling and Data Support for its exceptional contribution to the work of SPI-M-O.

Epidemiological and modelling advice has been vital in the government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Modelling (SPI-M-O) and Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) recognise that this has involved teams of people, who have often worked long and unsociable hours to ensure the government has access to world leading scientific evidence. 

UK Government Gratitude

The SPI-M-O Award for Modelling and Data Support (SAMDS) recognises those people who have made an exceptional contribution to the work of SPI-M-O outside of their usual work activity. The award, which does not carry financial value, demonstrates SAGE’s gratitude for the teams support during the pandemic and exceptional contribution made to SPI-M-O and the scientific advice which has supported Government’s response to the pandemic. 

All twenty-four members of the Imperial College COVID-19 Response Team, who contributed to informing SPI-M received the award, which is officially recognised and signed by the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) for England Prof Chris Whitty, and the Government Chief Scientific Adviser (GCSA) Sir Patrick Vallance. 

Prof Neil Ferguson of Imperial College London said: “These awards recognise the thousands of often long hours of work the team have put into providing timely, rigorous analysis and modelling to SPI-M since January 2020.”