One topic often unaddressed in discussions around Covid-19 is data. What data did we have before this outbreak? What data are we collecting today? And how are we using both sets of data to help us end the current epidemic and prevent disease outbreaks in the future?

Today’s technology and surveillance systems allow us to gather incredible amounts of data, analyze it quickly, and apply our learnings to develop a clear course of action. This conversation between ACCESS Health Chair and President William A. Haseltine and Alex Pentland, Professor of Media Arts and Sciences and Director of the Media Lab Entrepreneurship Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. explores the type of data that is most useful for detecting early infections and emerging outbreaks. It also highlights the gaps in the use of this data in the United States and its ongoing failures to properly plan for future outbreaks.