This week, Saskatchewan joined Alberta, Ontario and Quebec by releasing “what-if” scenarios related to COVID-19 in their province.
While the data may appear grim, a Canadian mathematics professor cautions the public while analyzing the numbers as they are just scenarios — not predictions. “It’s important to remember that any model is not a crystal ball,” said Daniel Coombs, a mathematics professor at the University of British Columbia.
Models released in all four provinces vary even when compared to the federal government’s model. However, the equations are the same.
Coombs says it comes down to two key factors: the course of the disease and how it spreads. “It’s very hard to know what the numbers are especially for an emerging pathogen