Leveraging the knowledge gained from the COVID-19 pandemic and advancing robust evidence is more critical than ever to strengthen respiratory pandemic preparedness following the end of the COVID-19 a public health emergency of international concern. For public health and social measures (PHSM) – interventions to reduce the risk and scale of infectious disease transmission– coordinated research efforts are vital in better understanding their effectiveness and impact during the COVID-19 pandemic but also in accelerating their applicability to diverse respiratory pathogens. In this article, we share key findings from the first global survey on COVID-19 related research priorities for PHSM and how we plan to expand the agenda with a medium- to long-term scope.
Through a multi-step consultation including the global technical consultation in 2021 followed by a public survey, these 24 research questions were prioritized across the six themes and listed in the order of priority:
Theme 1: Mapping existing research to identify knowledge gaps
Theme 2: Measuring the direct effectiveness and impact of PHSM on transmission, morbidity and mortality
Theme 3a: Assessing the impact of PHSM on health, social and economic outcomes – health aspects
Theme 3b: Assessing the impact of PHSM on health, social and economic outcomes – socio-economic aspects
Theme 4: Building preparedness for future health emergencies: resilience and response capacity
Theme 5: Promoting uptake of and adherence to PHSM
Theme 6a: Methodological research to advance implementation and evaluation of PHSM – research infrastructure
Theme 6b: Methodological research to advance implementation and evaluation of PHSM – research preparedness
In addition, the respondents hailed the importance of including civil societies and communities especially marginalized, vulnerable groups in PHSM research and implementation, development of transdisciplinary research methodologies and validation of models.
In summer 2023, WHO will launch a second online survey as the final stage of this process to identify medium- to long-term research priorities for PHSM in the context of respiratory pathogens beyond COVID-19. The findings of the survey will be discussed at the second global expert consultation on PHSM in November 2023 and the global PHSM research agenda 2021-2030 will subsequently be published to raise commitment, resources and evidence needed to inform effective PHSM decisions for diverse hazards and ultimately strengthen the Global Architecture for Health Emergency Preparedness, Response and Resilience.
You can find out more about the WHO multi-year PHSM initiative in the High Impact Events Preparedness (IEP) unit in the Department of Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness and Prevention (EPP) here.
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