bodyType

customContents

entityId

printArticlePageQuery

filter

article

body

urlAlias

articleSectionsContent

articleSeoArticle

articleSourceHeaderArticle

contentSchemaRenderContent

contentSubHeadlineContent

contentHeadlineContent

mainImagePrintArticleArticle

authorBlockPrintArticleArticle

contentSponsorTagContent

articlePianoPaywallContent

scmpYoutubeContent

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

query printArticlePageQuery(
  $entityId: String!
  $customContents: [CustomContentInput]
  $bodyType: BodyFormatTypeEnum
) {
  article(filter: {entityId: $entityId}) {
    entityId
    body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
      json
    }
    urlAlias
    ...articleSectionsContent
    ...articleSeoArticle_3o8td4
    ...articleSourceHeaderArticle
    ...contentSchemaRenderContent
    ...contentSubHeadlineContent
    ...contentHeadlineContent
    ...mainImagePrintArticleArticle
    ...authorBlockPrintArticleArticle
    ...contentSponsorTagContent
    ...articlePianoPaywallContent
    ...scmpYoutubeContent
    ...hooksTrackPageViewArticle
    id
  }
}

fragment articlePianoPaywallContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksPaywallPromiseContent
}

fragment articleSectionsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      ...helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection
      ...entityLink
      name
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment articleSeoArticle_3o8td4 on Article {
  ...hooksArticleSeoArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersGetArticleTypeArticle
  entityId
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
  summary {
    text
  }
  subHeadline {
    text
  }
  body(customContents: $customContents, type: $bodyType) {
    text
  }
  keywords
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  topics {
    name
    entityId
    id
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  images {
    style(filter: {style: "768x768"}) {
      url
    }
  }
  readingTime
}

fragment articleSourceHeaderArticle on Article {
  urlAlias
  ...entityLink
}

fragment authorBlockPrintArticleArticle on Article {
  ...defaultArticleDateContent
  ...authorNamesArticle
}

fragment authorNameAuthor on Author {
  ...entityLink
  name
  entityUuid
}

fragment authorNamesArticle on Article {
  authorLocations
  authors {
    entityId
    location
    ...authorNameAuthor
    id
  }
}

fragment blockquoteQuoteContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment contentHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  socialHeadline
  ...contentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
}

fragment contentNewsletterWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
    id
  }
  sections {
    value {
      relatedNewsletters {
        ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
        id
      }
      id
    }
  }
  ... on Article {
    relatedNewsletters {
      ...helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment contentSchemaRenderContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...blockquoteQuoteContent
  ...imageContent
  ...inlineWidgetContent
  ...photoGalleryWidgetContent
  ...scmpYoutubeContent
}

fragment contentShareWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  shortUrl
  socialHeadline
  headline
}

fragment contentSponsorTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersUseContentSponsorContent
}

fragment contentSubHeadlineContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  subHeadline {
    json
  }
  summary {
    json
  }
  ...contentSchemaRenderContent
}

fragment defaultArticleDateContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...hooksArticleDateUtilsContent
}

fragment entityLink on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  __typename
  entityId
  entityUuid
  urlAlias
  urlRedirect {
    toUrl
    id
  }
  application {
    entityId
    id
  }
  ... on Section {
    fullSectionPath {
      entityId
      id
    }
    parentSection
  }
  ...helpersAppBarVariantBase
  ...helpersApplicationBase
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersAppBarVariantBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsLiveArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...helpersSectionContent
  ...helpersStyleSectionContent
}

fragment helpersApplicationBase on BaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias {
  __isBaseWithApplicationAndUrlAlias: __typename
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesPage
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusPage
}

fragment helpersCheckIfNewsSectionInFirstIndexSection on Section {
  name
}

fragment helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle on Article {
  entityId
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  disableOffPlatformContent
  sponsorType
  published
  ...helpersCheckIsPlusArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment helpersCheckIsLiveArticle on Article {
  flattenTypeIds
  liveArticle {
    status
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    paywallTypes {
      entityUuid
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPlusPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle on Article {
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersCheckIsPostiesPage on Page {
  urlAlias
}

fragment helpersCheckIsStyleArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  sections {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersGetArticleTypeArticle on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        entityId
        id
      }
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersMassageToNewsletterItemNewsletter on Newsletter {
  entityId
  name
  alternativeName
  description {
    text
  }
  summary {
    text
  }
  homepageDescription {
    text
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle on Article {
  authors {
    types
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle on Article {
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersStyleSectionContent on Section {
  fullSectionPath {
    entityId
    id
  }
}

fragment helpersUseContentSponsorContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  topics {
    entityId
    sponsor {
      ...sponsorTagSponsor
      name
      type
      id
    }
    id
  }
  ... on Article {
    sponsorType
  }
  ...helpersCheckIsMainTopicContent
}

fragment hooksArticleDateUtilsContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  createdDate
  publishedDate
  updatedDate
}

fragment hooksArticleSeoArticle on Article {
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsPostMagazineArticle
  ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  ...hooksContentHeadlineTagContent
  ...helpersCheckIsAmpEnabledArticle
  entityId
  headline
  socialHeadline
  types {
    value {
      entityId
      id
    }
  }
  authors {
    entityId
    id
  }
  images {
    generic_og: style(filter: {style: "og_image_scmp_generic"}) {
      url
    }
    styles(filter: {styles: ["og_image_posties_article", "og_postmag", "og_image_style", "og_image_scmp_analysis", "og_image_scmp_explainer", "og_image_scmp_editorial", "og_image_scmp_fact_check", "og_image_scmp_debate", "og_image_scmp_live", "og_image_scmp_obituary", "og_image_scmp_opinion", "og_image_scmp_review", "og_image_scmp_series", "og_image_scmp_generic"]}) {
      url
      style
    }
    type
  }
  urlAlias
}

fragment hooksContentHeadlineTagContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ... on Article {
    types {
      value {
        name
        entityId
        description {
          text
        }
        id
      }
    }
    ...helpersCheckIsStyleArticle
  }
  flag
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  ...hooksContentHelperContent
}

fragment hooksContentHelperContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...helpersSanitizeArticleTypeEntityIdsArticle
  ...helpersSanitizeAuthorTypesArticle
  ...helpersSanitizedAuthorEntityIdsArticle
  flag
}

fragment hooksPaywallPromiseContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  ...helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle
}

fragment hooksTrackPageViewArticle on Article {
  entityId
  publishedDate
  headline
  sections {
    value {
      name
      id
    }
  }
  urlAlias
  authors {
    name
    id
  }
  entityUuid
}

fragment imageContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  headline
  ...checkersCheckContentContainsStarlingImageContent
}

fragment inlineWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...contentNewsletterWidgetContent
}

fragment mainImagePrintArticleArticle on Article {
  images {
    title
    url
    isSlideshow
    size_652x446: style(filter: {style: "652x446"}) {
      url
    }
  }
}

fragment photoGalleryDialogContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  __typename
  ...contentShareWidgetContent
}

fragment photoGalleryWidgetContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  ...photoGalleryDialogContent
}

fragment scmpYoutubeContent on Content {
  __isContent: __typename
  entityId
  urlAlias
  publishedDate
}

fragment sponsorTagSponsor on Sponsor {
  name
  type
  images {
    url
  }
}


sections

types

disableOffPlatformContent

sponsorType

published

headline

socialHeadline

authors

images

publishedDate

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

keywords

topics

readingTime

authorLocations

entityUuid

Sun Sun Lim

Roland Bouffanais

You impose a lockdown. With people confined indoors, shops close and the economy grinds to a halt. Your Covid-19 infections fall to pleasing numbers, and soon it appears safe to end the lockdown and reopen your economy. Businesses open, people come out in droves and some sense of normalcy returns.
Before you know it, new virus outbreaks emerge and clusters expand and spread, threatening to overwhelm your health care services. You impose a lockdown, rinse and repeat.
Cities around the world have entered seemingly endless cycles of lockdowns and viral resurgence.
Although there is encouraging progress towards viable vaccines, lockdowns of varying extents are the main tactic to contain Covid-19 when exponential growth in community cases occurs. Yet lockdowns are blunt tools that exact heavy costs such as severe economic malaise and the declining well-being of entire populations sequestered at home. Some experts have cautioned that this disruptive lockdown cure is worse than the disease, claiming lives through job losses, social isolation and domestic strife.
Cities in particular can attempt to break free from the lockdown trap by identifying super-spreader locales. Instead of locking down the entire city, a more sustainable approach is shutting down or reconfiguring specific locations with high potential to trigger outbreaks by tapping insights from big data.
Like people, certain places can be spatial super-spreaders, and big data is the key to identifying these weak links. Cities are constantly throbbing with human activity as people transit, converge, mingle and disperse. Currently available human mobility data must therefore be mined to zero-in on vulnerable locations beset by the dangerous confluence of high human traffic, intense social interaction and conditions favourable to disease spread.


Since such high-density places have extensive contact between people from geographically disparate locations, tracking human mobility patterns is vital for uncovering and impeding disease propagation. Urban analytics data capturing ground transport trips is a critical building block in this endeavour.
In some cities, such transport data is analysed for improved urban and mobility planning. Newer data streams from ride-sharing services such as Uber, internet-of-things-connected devices including smart lamp posts and smartphones running traffic update apps such as Waze, and social media posts with geolocation data, can also help map where human mobility patterns and epidemic spread intersect.
Such information can then be integrated with the unfolding epidemiological evidence about the factors affecting Covid-19 transmission. Currently, transient contact seems less risky than sustained interaction in enclosed spaces. Social distancing and mask wearing also appear to confer protection against aerosol transmission, and people are apparently less likely to be infected from contact with contaminated services.
Even so, our understanding of the relationship between disease spread and social interaction in different settings is still extremely limited. This knowledge gap constrains our ability to methodically chart how differences between fleeting contact in public venues versus sustained interaction in discrete communities influence disease transmission. To better refine containment measures in cities, sharpening such insights is a pressing priority.




New findings present themselves daily, requiring governments to adapt their strategies for tackling the virus. Even as the epidemiological knowledge around Covid-19 seems to rapidly evolve with an endless fount of fresh evidence, though, tracking human mobility patterns is a stable and predictable undertaking. This is a valuable effort to sustain because it can help governments more effectively calibrate their containment measures and avoid blanket lockdowns.
More systematic data collection initiatives and protocols must be introduced to ensure big data can be marshalled, shared and fully exploited. Greater funding is required to promote research on the nature of human movement and social interactions in a greater diversity of urban locations.
However, not all cities collect such human mobility data, and fewer still make it publicly available either because of legal and technical hurdles or the absence of regulatory frameworks that facilitate data sharing. It is imperative that such obstacles are cleared for research and analysis to be accelerated.


While we anxiously await a safe vaccine – which is by no means a silver bullet – we can boost other efforts to manage this pandemic and start planning for the next one. Rather than resorting to wholesale lockdowns, governments can distil and blend insights from big data and epidemiology to anticipate super-spreading locales.
They can adopt more targeted safeguards such as social distancing precautions for specific communities and settings, decongestion protocols in busy locations, traffic diversions during peak periods and restricted shutdowns in selected areas. Precisely because lockdowns spell the distinction between feast or famine for businesses and their employees, a robust, data-grounded approach to imposing targeted restrictions can help governments take tough decisions without seeming arbitrary, capricious or callous.
With a granular and focused containment strategy, cities need not go into a deep slumber to keep the virus at bay. They can strive to liberate themselves from the lockdown trap, the key for which lies with big data.
Sun Sun Lim is Professor of Communication and Technology and dean of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences at the Singapore University of Technology and Design. Roland Bouffanais is an associate professor at the Singapore University of Technology and Design


How cities can avoid costly lockdowns with smart use of big data

Commuters alight at Admiralty MTR station on August 19. Tracking human mobility and combining that data with epidemiological evidence can help cities pinpoint areas at risk of super-spreading events without having to shut down the entire city and its economy. Photo: Nora Tam

Opinion

Comment


Instead of locking down an entire city, officials can shut down or reconfigure specific locations with a high potential to trigger outbreaks by tapping big data
As lockdowns can be devastating for businesses, a robust, data-grounded approach can help governments justify tough decisions



Instead of locking down an entire city, officials can shut down specific locations with a high potential to trigger outbreaks by tapping big data. As lockdowns can be devastating for businesses, a robust, data-grounded approach can help governments justify tough decisions.


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Expresses the views, ideas and conclusions of the author. (Eg. Enough of Crazy Rich Asians, think of crazy poor Hongkongers.)


Column

Opinion | How cities can avoid costly lockdowns with smart use of big data

Instead of locking down an entire city, officials can shut down or reconfigure specific locations with a high potential to trigger outbreaks by tapping big data As lockdowns can be devastating for businesses, a robust, data-grounded approach can help governments justify tough decisions

Instead of locking down an entire city, officials can shut down or reconfigure specific locations with a high potential to trigger outbreaks by tapping big data

As lockdowns can be devastating for businesses, a robust, data-grounded approach can help governments justify tough decisions