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Health early warning and response
S2S forecast information can contribute to health early warning and response systems when it is connected to relevant health impact prediction models.
The Health Task Team is one of SAGE’s application-sector task teams. It focuses on the use of sub-seasonal to seasonal forecast information in health-related decision-making, including contexts where forecasts can support early warning and response systems.
Health is one of the priority sectors identified for SAGE. The Project Plan notes examples where S2S forecasting has been integrated within health impact prediction models, including applications related to temperature-related mortality and infectious diseases.
These applications can support health early warning and response systems, but they require careful treatment of forecast skill, uncertainty, health data, and decision needs.
S2S forecast information can contribute to health early warning and response systems when it is connected to relevant health impact prediction models.
The Project Plan highlights examples related to temperature-related mortality and infectious diseases, including uses that can support heat-health action plans and outbreak response.
Health applications can require harmonising epidemiological and socio-economic indicators with gridded climate products and aligning health-data timescales with S2S model outputs.
Within SAGE, Applications Task Teams support engagement with existing and potential users of sub-seasonal forecast information. The Health Task Team sits within this application-focused structure.
Applications Task Teams are responsible for coordinating SAGE activities within their respective application sectors.
The task-team structure is intended to support engagement with users and potential users of S2S forecast information.
Applications Task Teams are expected to help organise sector reviews and surveys that inform the wider SAGE work programme.