Real-Time Data Dashboard Tracks Quantity of Vaccines Administered

The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and PathCheck Foundation have developed an interactive, real-time data dashboard to track the quantity of COVID-19 vaccines administered in the US and around the world.

The vaccination dashboard is maintained using completely anonymous data collected from more than 60 governmental agencies and other publicly available data sources. The dashboard tracks and updates the quantity of vaccines administered on a state level, as well as on an international level.

The dashboard also breaks down the quantity of specific brands of vaccines administered, inoculated population percentages, and data broken down into first- and second-dose categories.

“As we shift from focusing on the spread of COVID-19 to balancing the return of our lives to normal, vaccinations are one of the key components. The vaccination dashboard provides information to everyone, regardless of who you are or where you live,” said Sue Feldman, PhD, professor and director of graduate programs in health informatics in UAB’s School of Health Professions.

“With so much data and information to process, we partnered with PathCheck Foundation to develop a one-stop-shop where people could visualize the content in an easy-to-understand manner. We are excited about our partnership with the PathCheck Foundation to make this happen.”  

The vaccination dashboard is currently updated every four hours with available data. The tool will remain fluid and updated accordingly as different data become available, like new vaccine brands. The team will continue to enhance the vaccination dashboard by including more data visualization, prediction, and analysis tools, as well as more detailed state information as it becomes available.

“The vaccination dashboard is yet another important tool that is enabling the public to transparently understand where we are as a country in the fight against COVID-19,” said Selwyn Vickers, MD, dean of UAB’s School of Medicine.

“From launching exposure notification platforms for alerting people of potential virus exposures to visualizing vaccinations, I’m excited that UAB has been an international leader in keeping the public informed and educated, and this dashboard is another way for us to keep doing so.”  

UAB and PathCheck Foundation’s vaccination dashboard builds on the existing collaboration between the organizations. Together, UAB and PathCheck Foundation included UAB’s anonymous and encrypted COVID-19 test verification technology for GuideSafe in the PathCheck Foundation exposure notification app.

The GuideSafe Exposure Notification app, developed as a result of the partnership between UAB and PathCheck Foundation, promotes safer entry methods through testing, tools, and actions. By using testing and self-reporting, the app aims to provide users with ongoing COVID-19 monitoring to help the public make more informed decisions during the pandemic.

With the development of the vaccination dashboard, UAB and PathCheck Foundation expect that they will provide the public with up-to-date, accurate information.

“The PathCheck Foundation team is very excited about our partnership with UAB. This dashboard is a testament to our shared vision of keeping the public informed during uncertain times,” said Ramesh Raskar, PhD, associate professor in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Lab and board chair and chief scientist at PathCheck Foundation.

“As we all navigate the pandemic together, we hope that this dashboard and our other digital tools will continue to keep the flow of data moving to those seeking information while always carefully protecting the privacy of individuals.”

Real-time data dashboards have been a major asset during the pandemic. Recently, a team at Providence health system developed the DetectionMap, a tool that uses real-time data from the EHR to help inform decision-making during COVID-19.

The map shows where the virus is prevalent in geographical areas where Providence cares for patients.

“We really are in a crisis, and we're trying to keep safe. There are so many day-to-day decisions that we need to make. When we're practically in lockdown, some of those decisions are easier,” Ari Robicsek, MD, chief medical analytics officer at Providence, said during an interview with HealthITAnalytics.

“But in more ambiguous times – for example, this past September – if you had to decide whether to hold church services in person or send your child to an in-person birthday, it’s helpful to know how much COVID-19 activity there is in your neighborhood. As an epidemiologist, I would argue that all of those decisions could be informed by your knowledge of how much COVID is in your community right now.”