IDSIM is a windows desktop app developed by Ontario Tech University and Durham Region Health Department as part of an NSERC grant. The app is based on a multi-stratified, Susceptible-Exposed-Infectious-Removed (SEIR) compartmental model that can be used by local public health units to perform epidemiological modeling of infectious diseases. It can accommodate multiple stratifications, virus variants and levels of vaccination, as well as public health measures such as physical distancing, contact tracing followed by quarantine, and testing followed by isolation. An online paper was published at https://arxiv.org/abs/2112.15252.

The Durham Region COVID Data Tracker is an interactive dashboard that provides visual, accurate and update-to-date COVID-19 data to various audiences such as public health staff, local politicians, community partners, media and the general public. The Tracker captures data on COVID-19 cases, institutional outbreaks, vaccination and wastewater surveillance for Durham Region residents.

We will provide some background information on the Data Tracker and the IDSIM application and discuss how the Durham Region Health Department communicates COVID-19 statistics and modelling results to local public health leaders. After a brief presentation, the seminar will consist of round table discussion with the five team members to discuss challenges and successes with knowledge translation. Questions and active participation from participants are welcomed.