Climate model know-how to help assess virus spread ‘sweet spot’

Risk modeller AIR Worldwide is to use its expertise around the impact of climate on extreme weather to shed new light on the impact of weather systems on the spread of diseases such as COVID-19. Intelligent Insurer finds out more.

“Studies have been published out of China already, looking at the potential spread of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 and its sensitivity to temperature.” Peter Sousounis, director of climate change research, AIR Worldwide.

· Pandemic presents opportunity to understand climate impact on coronavirus
· Boost for disease modelling as firm leverages climate data expertise
· Temperature and humidity key factors in potential persistence of COVID-19
· Climate impact can be masked by inter-annual El Niños and polar vortex changes

Climate experts say finding and linking the climate change signal to the spread of virus is difficult but studies have found there seems to be a “sweet spot” in terms of temperature and the most efficient transmission.