Technical Advisory Group on COVID-19 Mortality Assessment

01 February 2021

Overview

The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) created the Technical Advisory Group on COVID-19 Mortality Assessment in February 2021.

The Group brings together over 30 experts in demography, epidemiology and statistics from around the world, representing national statistical offices, ministries of health, and the academic community. Additionally, over 30 persons representing United Nations agencies and partners, academia and the private sector, participate in the Group as observers.  

The Technical Advisory Group acts as an advisory body to WHO, UN DESA and United Nations Member States in order to obtain accurate estimates of numbers of deaths attributable to the direct and indirect impacts of the pandemic.

 

Opening remarks of Mr. Elliott Harris, Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Development and Chief Economist

 

Working groups

There are currently five working groups for the TAG. These are: 

  1. Global mortality estimates including COVID-19 (concept note)

  2. Use of surveys and censuses to fill data gaps (concept note)

  3. Death registration and reporting systems: Lessons from the pandemic (concept note)

  4. Summary metrics of the toll in lives lost (concept note)

  5. Inequality in COVID-19 mortality between and within countries (concept note)

 

Member biographies

Terms of reference