ADR Wales analysis has demonstrated the effectiveness of data linkage, by informing practices and planning through the pandemic and the transition to life without Covid-19 restrictions. The ADR Wales team delivered vital research intelligence to help policymakers in the Welsh Government’s Technical Advisory Group and the UK Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies during the height of the pandemic. They continue to provide insights that explore the impact of the pandemic on our society.
ADR Wales analysis has included a focus on the experiences of people on the shielded list, their household composition, their access to outdoor space and the experiences of those living with them. Other analysis has included sophisticated geospatial modelling, which was used by ministers during televised briefings to visually demonstrate the spread of the virus in Wales.
ADR Wales analysis also linked Covid-19 testing data to homelessness data from health records and found lower Covid-19 rates amongst people experiencing homelessness compared to the general population. These findings suggested that largescale policy changes early in the pandemic – which moved away from communal accommodation in favour of self-contained accommodation – had a positive impact on the homeless population in Wales.
ADR Wales’ analysis of Covid-19 transmission in schools, and most recently of the vaccination status of the school workforce, informed policy by helping to identify areas of potential concern and enabling targeted intervention strategies. Through ADR Wales’ work on the vaccination of the schools workforce, they demonstrated how data linkage techniques using existing data could be used to deliver this understanding, rather than creating a new survey.