COVID-19 Risk Assessment Tool: Dual application of risk communication and risk governance

Abstract

Risk awareness is the best way to prevent and slow-down the transmission of the COVID-19 pandemic. Risk awareness is achieved through communication of risk assessment. Effective risk communication is an important measure to control the infodemic. Most risk assessment tools focus on either tracking the affected patients or diagnosing a probable health condition through symptoms. RIKA India introduces an innovative Risk Assessment Tool which goes beyond the symptom detection and patient tracking. It includes four factors in assessment of risk: Health, Behaviour, Exposure and Social Policy. Each of these four factors have sub-factors which help to assess the overall risk in a more comprehensive way and also present it to the user in a simplified way. The paper discusses the importance of the Risk Assessment Tool for awareness generation and decision making. Further, the datasets generated through the tool have been analysed to understand the key intervention areas for COVID-19 response and management.

Keywords: Awareness generation; COVID-19 pandemic; Risk communication; Risk governance; Social behaviour.

Fig. 1

(a) Low risk output, (b) moderate risk output, (c) high risk output, and (d) general advisory.

Fig. 2

Timeline Series Analysis of measures taken in India and an increase in affected cases [21].

Fig. 3

State wise spatial distribution of respondents (` = 1293).

Fig. 4

(a): Use of mask; (b): use of hand-sanitiser; (c): sanitizing before touching face; (d): Social distancing (n = 1293).

Fig. 5

Description of current measures (n = 1293).

Fig. 6

Anxiety within different Risk Categories (n = 1293).

Fig. 7

Social policy compliance: (a) effectiveness of lockdown, 7(b) wearing mask and social distancing in locality (n = 1293).

Fig. 8

Exposure based on residential type (n = 1293).

Fig. 9

(a): occupation type, (b): travel and public event attendance history (n = 1293).