Isolat informs Covid-19 testing plans for Mass. colleges

The IDSS Covid-19 Collaboration (Isolat) was formed to help policymakers at MIT and beyond make informed decisions by providing analysis of pandemic-related data. The Isolat group forecasts things like infection growth rates, quantifies the outcomes of policies, and builds ways to collect, organize, and share data.

As Isolat works with MIT leaders on MIT’s reopening strategy, some Isolat ideas have been included in a state-wide report as well. Higher ed leaders around Massachusetts collaborated on recommendations for reopening campuses.

The ability to test students, faculty, and staff surfaced as a major challenge. A report focused on this challenge includes two ideas from Isolat research: a model for testing and isolating infected people, and a mathematical approach to pooling test samples for more efficient testing.

Read the full report (pdf).