Epidemiological and modelling advice has been vital in the government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Modelling (SPI-M-O) and Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) recognise that this has involved teams of people, who have often worked long and unsociable hours to ensure the government has access to world leading scientific evidence.

The SPI-M-O Award for Modelling and Data Support (SAMDS) has been introduced to recognise those people who have made an exceptional contribution to the work of SPI-M-O outside of their usual work activity.