New Research Projects to Investigate COVID-19 Transmission in Various Settings

Strategic Insights -

Researchers in the UK are launching eight new projects to study the spread of COVID-19 in schools, healthcare settings, and public spaces. Funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), these projects aim to inform policy decisions about COVID-19, including infection prevention strategies and containment measures.

The studies will investigate various aspects of COVID-19 transmission, such as how quickly and efficiently the virus is spread by schoolchildren, how aerosols generated during medical procedures contribute to transmission, and how community structures, such as household size, may contribute to transmission in high-risk communities.

Key Takeaways:

  • Eight new research projects have been awarded a total of £5.3 million to study COVID-19 transmission in various settings.
  • Two of the projects will investigate the role of schoolchildren in spreading coronavirus, including a study on the impact of returning to school on pupil and staff mental wellbeing.
  • Another project will assess the amount and type of aerosol generated during medical procedures to understand how to organise care and protect patients and staff.
  • Researchers will also study healthcare staff to determine how healthcare exposures affect transmission risk compared with other factors outside the workplace.
  • A multinational study will test different surfaces and coatings to kill coronavirus and prevent transmission in public spaces.
  • One project will investigate the role of children in transmission of coronavirus in Orthodox Jewish communities.
  • Researchers will analyse UK-wide data on hospital cases to understand how important transmission of coronavirus in hospitals was to the first 'wave' of COVID-19 in the UK.
  • The studies will help develop guidelines to reduce the risk of infection among healthcare workers and inform a vaccination plan for healthcare workers.

Statistics:

  • £5.3 million has been awarded to the eight new research projects to study COVID-19 transmission.
  • The projects aim to study the spread of COVID-19 in various settings, including schools, healthcare settings, and public spaces.
  • 5000 staff will be recruited from three large West Midlands hospital trusts to study the risk of infection among healthcare workers.
  • 1500 healthcare workers have been collecting blood samples during the pandemic to assess how the immune system responds to infection.
  • The studies will involve collecting data and samples from 500 households in an Orthodox Jewish community.
  • The research will help understand the impact of returning to school on pupil and staff mental wellbeing.

Sources:

  • UK Research and Innovation
  • National Institute for Health Research
  • Imperial College London
  • North Bristol NHS Trust
  • The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
  • University of Birmingham
  • University of Nottingham
  • University of St Andrews
  • The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine