Epidemiological intelligence fusion centers: health security and COVID-19 in the Dominican Republic

Epidemic intelligence studies: A research agenda for political scientists

“…This form of EI involves potentially threatening events that are biological, chemical, environmental, and/or unknown (Bengtsson et al, 2019). Medical intelligence (MEDINT) is information collected regarding a threat, usually biological, that can be used to craft policy that is applied to defeat this threat (Albert et al, 2023, p. 95). The U.S. Department of Defense (2017) defined MEDINT as follows:The collection, evaluation, analysis and interpretation of relevant medical, bio-scientific, and environmental information which is of interest to strategic planning and to military medical planning and operations for the conservation of the fighting force and formation of assessments of foreign medical capabilities in both military and civilian sections.…”

“…A vital component of EI is health surveillance. Disease surveillance systems collect information on known risks, threats, and other health anomalies that is then used to assess these threats (Albert et al, 2023). Disease surveillance includes digital surveillance, which focuses on preemption and early warning of a broad range of public health hazards (Bengtsson et al, 2019, p. 121).…”

“…This form of EI involves potentially threatening events that are biological, chemical, environmental, and/or unknown (Bengtsson et al, 2019). Medical intelligence (MEDINT) is information collected regarding a threat, usually biological, that can be used to craft policy that is applied to defeat this threat (Albert et al, 2023, p. 95). The U.S. Department of Defense (2017) defined MEDINT as follows:…”

“…The COVID-19 pandemic has also stimulated more scholarship in health intelligence surveillance (Greitens, 2020), including new spaces and sources for health intelligence (Lentzos et al, 2020) and for epidemic intelligence fusion centers (Albert et al, 2023). The COVID-19 pandemic seems to have solidified a permanent research agenda connecting political science and ID as a "niche" 2 subfield.…”

The politics of disease

“…Setting up standing systems that provide constant monitoring could prove extremely helpful in identifying and responding to disease outbreaks early, before a rapid transmission pattern starts. Albert et al (2023) put forth a model of epidemiological intelligence centers that rely on public health information to help contain the spread of disease. Such a model would prove quite useful not only to identify and hopefully stop disease transmission early, but it could also help identify early outbreaks resulting from biological weapons use.…”