Source image: https://fd.nl/economie-politiek/1343345/hoogleraar-informatica-maak-wiskundige-modellen-leidend-bij-coronabeleid. Photo: Ilvy Njiokiktjien/Redux.

So headlines the Financieel Dagblad. Amsterdam Professor of Computer Science Chris Verhoef himself created a model that calculates new figures on occupied ICU beds, hospital admissions and mortality every day. In each case, the results his model gave were similar to those of RIVM. He therefore argues that RIVM’s models need not be doubted, but that the models are sometimes misinterpreted. As a result, certain measures unfairly call into question the policies set out by the cabinet, sometimes leading to changes in these policies.

The article does show that in addition to using the right mathematical models, several factors influence the public’s reaction to Cabinet policies. Trust in these models, for example, and the interpretation of the outcomes. As a mathematician, it is important to have an eye for such things. Only by creating trust and support through dialogue, in addition to the right models, will we arrive at workable new solutions. You can read the entire article here.