Even a good influenza forecasting model can benefit from internet based nowcasts, but those benefits are limited

The ability to produce timely and accurate flu forecasts in the United States can significantly impact public health. In this paper, we perform a controlled experiment, taking into account data backfill, to improve clarity on the benefits and limitations of augmenting an already good flu forecasting model with internet-based nowcasts. Osthus D et al. (2019) Even a good influenza forecasting model can benefit from internet-based nowcasts, but those benefits are limited. PLoS Comput Biol 15(2):e1006599. doi: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1006599.