Our Work to Shape the Debate
TBI and the UK Response to Covid-19
In March 2020, we dedicated our entire team to equipping global leaders to confront the Covid-19 crisis. In the UK, we focused on three key areas: public health, exit strategies for moving beyond lockdown, and harnessing technology.
2020
A Message to Leaders From Tony Blair: How to Mobilise Government to Fight Covid-19
2020

From the early weeks of the crisis, TBI set out a clear position on the role of mass testing: That it is essential both for getting people the treatment they need and for easing lockdown measures and restarting the economy. (On 2 April, the government announced its plans to scale up testing capacity to 100,000 per day.)
2020

The first in a series on using technology to respond to Covid-19, this report set out three principles for policymakers to follow when applying tech solutions to fight the virus and cushion its impact on daily life: turning the networked public into an advantage, leaning in to innovation and embracing increased transparency.
2020
Mass Community Testing Is Crucial to Covid-19 Response: Here's How We Get There
2020
Contact Tracing and the Fight Against Covid-19: How Digital Tools Can Help

This primer identified the key challenges in implementing an effective contact-tracing system – from population coverage and interoperability to privacy concerns – and provided recommendations to government on how digital solutions, community mobilisation and testing are crucial to the effort. (On 12 April, the government announced plans for the NHSX contact-tracing app.)
2020
Suppression Exit Strategies: Options for Lifting Lockdown Measures in the UK
2020
2020

In response to the government's target of increasing Covid-19 testing to 100,000 tests per day, this report outlined how to scale up capacity using both antigen and antibody tests and called for the appointment of a senior Minister for Testing to oversee the effort. (The government announced on 1 May that it had reached its 100,000-tests-per-day target.)
2020
2020

Continuing TBI's work promoting the importance of testing to counter Covid-19, this report proposed a model for a phased move to a mass-testing regime and highlighted the role of contact tracing plus testing in developing a clear lockdown exit strategy. (On 1 May, the UK government announced plans to recruit 18,000 contact tracers.)
2020

As part of TBI's tech series, this report argued that – as an alternative to economically damaging lockdowns to prevent the loss of life – government must do everything in its power to use data and technology-based tracking and tracing to shut down Covid-19, even at the price of increased surveillance. (On 5 May, a test, track and trace pilot began on the Isle of Wight.)
2020
Digital Policy for a Lockdown: How Tech Can Help Us Adapt to a Radically Altered World

This report outlined clear rules of engagement for policymakers across key areas of technology-based adaptation during the pandemic, including how to manage internet infrastructure, adapt government for the crisis, keep public services available, support the digital economy and help people build resilience for life in isolation.
2020
Government Should Put the Online Marketing Machine to Work Against Misinformation
2020

This report provided an overview on the different types of face masks and made recommendations for how they can be used to contain the spread of the virus and, in turn, help to restart the economy. (On 11 May, the government, following evidence from SAGE, confirmed that face coverings can help reduce the risk of transmission.)
2020
A Roadmap for Exit: Saving Lives and Livelihoods – Lessons From Around the World

This report considered the components of an effective roadmap for exiting lockdown, drawing on evidence from other countries and exploring what a robust plan should include to help people and businesses manage uncertainty. (On 10 May, the UK government published details of its Covid-19 exit roadmap.)
2020
2020

In response to the government's 10 May roadmap, this report argued that the UK needed a coherent containment strategy to control the spread of the virus as lockdown measures eased. TBI's proposed strategy outlined the 'gold standard' of containment architecture and how, specifically, the government could achieve it across categories including testing, tracing, mask-wearing, treatment and government communications.
2020
2020
2020
2020

While a number of containment measures – including testing and tracing, social distancing and mask-wearing – were being explored and/or applied by government as part of efforts to ease lockdown, this report looked at the role innovative, tech-forward solutions could play in detecting Covid-19, as part of a wider health-tech revolution.
2020
2020
Reset: How the UK’s Covid-19 Strategy Must Change to Rebuild Confidence
2020

Next in TBI's series on the importance of mass testing, this report put forward an urgent proposal to the government to change its testing strategy. The recommendations outlined a route to mass testing using available and soon-to-be available rapid tests that do not require lab processing.
2020

While testing and tracing received some attention from government, the crucial role of digital identity was largely absent from the debate. With this report, TBI set out how digital ID and mobility credentials could help to tackle Covid-19, what an optimal system should look like, the fault lines for public consent, and how to move from debate to delivery.
2020