What Is the ReadyScore?

The ReadyScore is a tool created by Resolve to Save Lives, an initiative of Vital Strategies. The score determines whether a country is prepared to find, stop, and prevent epidemics, using data from the World Health Organization’s Joint External Evaluation. Similar to a report card, there are 19 areas of preparedness and response capacity that are scored, first by a group of national experts of the country and then by an external group of international experts. The ReadyScore is the average score of the 19 preparedness areas. The ReadyScore relays five levels of preparedness:

• Better Prepared (80% or higher)
  Country is better prepared for the next epidemic. They have functioning systems to find, stop and prevent health threats, but they must work to maintain this level of protection for their people.
• Work to Do (40-79%)
  Country has work to do to prepare for the next epidemic. They are committed to improving preparedness, but an outbreak today could cause deaths and cross borders.
• Not Ready (39% or lower)
  Country is not ready for the next epidemic. They have shown commitment to improving preparedness, but an outbreak could cause a devastating loss of lives and disrupt political and economic stability.
• Pending
  Country has began the external evaluation process but no data is available at this time. There is not a robust way of knowing whether this country is prepared for an epidemic, but there will be in the near future. Country has began the external evaluation process but no data is available at this time. Until then, we have no independent way of knowing their level of preparedness.
• Unknown
  Country has not volunteered to have an external, transparent evaluation of their ability to find, stop and prevent health threats. Without this robust assessment we cannot be certain they are ready prevent epidemics. Country has not volunteered to have an external, transparent evaluation of their ability to find, stop and prevent health threats. Without this, we have no independent way of knowing their level of preparedness.

 

What scale is the ReadyScore based on?

The ReadyScore calculates each country’s level of epidemic preparedness on a scale from 0 to 100, with 0 representing a country that is not ready and 100 representing a country that is better prepared. A score higher than 80 indicates that a country is better prepared for an epidemic.

What does the ReadyScore mean for your country?

The ReadyScore tells you how prepared your country is to find, stop and prevent an epidemic. By looking at the score, and the accompanying information, you can learn what your country needs to do to be better prepared.

How does the ReadyScore impact you?

The ReadyScore is important because it tells you if your country is prepared, and if it is not, highlights the steps that should be taken to improve preparedness.