• The World Health Organisation (WHO), Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and the World Bank have released new guidance on the role of mathematical modeling, specifically integrated modeling, in addressing emerging pandemic-prone pathogen threats.

• Disciplinary silos, poor data availability, and inadequate venues for communication among policymakers and modelers pose substantial problems in pandemic preparedness. 

• To assist governments in this endeavor, the WHO-OECD-World Bank handbook offers four measures to help develop capacity in integrated modeling and its use in policymaking across varied contexts:

1. Institutionalizing models for policymaking.

2. Establishing active communication between actors.

3. Connecting policy questions to relevant models.

4. Increasing knowledge and comprehension of modeling and integrated modeling.

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