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The Value Of Robust Statistical Forecasts In The Covid-19 Pandemic

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  • Castle, Jennifer L.
  • Doornik, Jurgen A.
  • Hendry, David F.

Abstract

The Covid-19 pandemic has put forecasting under the spotlight, pitting epidemiological models against extrapolative time-series devices. We have been producing real-time short-term forecasts of confirmed cases and deaths using robust statistical models since 20 March 2020. The forecasts are adaptive to abrupt structural change, a major feature of the pandemic data due to data measurement errors, definitional and testing changes, policy interventions, technological advances and rapidly changing trends. The pandemic has also led to abrupt structural change in macroeconomic outcomes. Using the same methods, we forecast aggregate UK unemployment over the pandemic. The forecasts rapidly adapt to the employment policies implemented when the UK entered the first lockdown. The difference between our statistical and theory based forecasts provides a measure of the effect of furlough policies on stabilising unemployment, establishing useful scenarios had furlough policies not been implemented.

Suggested Citation

  • Castle, Jennifer L. & Doornik, Jurgen A. & Hendry, David F., 2021. "The Value Of Robust Statistical Forecasts In The Covid-19 Pandemic," National Institute Economic Review, National Institute of Economic and Social Research, vol. 256, pages 19-43, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:nierev:v:256:y:2021:i::p:19-43_3
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    Cited by:

    1. Byron Botha & Rulof Burger & Kevin Kotzé & Neil Rankin & Daan Steenkamp, 2023. "Big data forecasting of South African inflation," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 65(1), pages 149-188, July.
    2. Hendry, David F. & Pretis, Felix, 2023. "Analysing differences between scenarios," International Journal of Forecasting, Elsevier, vol. 39(2), pages 754-771.
    3. Petropoulos, Fotios & Apiletti, Daniele & Assimakopoulos, Vassilios & Babai, Mohamed Zied & Barrow, Devon K. & Ben Taieb, Souhaib & Bergmeir, Christoph & Bessa, Ricardo J. & Bijak, Jakub & Boylan, Joh, 2022. "Forecasting: theory and practice," International Journal of Forecasting, Elsevier, vol. 38(3), pages 705-871.
      • Fotios Petropoulos & Daniele Apiletti & Vassilios Assimakopoulos & Mohamed Zied Babai & Devon K. Barrow & Souhaib Ben Taieb & Christoph Bergmeir & Ricardo J. Bessa & Jakub Bijak & John E. Boylan & Jet, 2020. "Forecasting: theory and practice," Papers 2012.03854, arXiv.org, revised Jan 2022.
    4. Jennifer L. Castle & Jurgen A. Doornik & David F. Hendry, 2021. "Forecasting Facing Economic Shifts, Climate Change and Evolving Pandemics," Econometrics, MDPI, vol. 10(1), pages 1-21, December.
    5. Castle, Jennifer L. & Hendry, David F. & Martinez, Andrew B., 2023. "The historical role of energy in UK inflation and productivity with implications for price inflation," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).

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