The Hunter Medical Research Institute has received a funding boost to deliver their "Fast Facts" project, which will quickly arm health officials with up-to-date evidence to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.
HMRI-affiliated researcher and University of Newcastle Associate Professor Luke Wolfenden, received the funding grant from NIB.
Working with the HNE COVID-19 Public Health response team, Associate Professor Wolfenden will collaborate with international disease experts and Hunter New England Health public health physician, Associate Professor Craig Dalton, to address COVID-19 health questions.
The team will work closely with Cochrane Australia and Cochrane International, to access a living register of COVID-19 studies, which includes bank of research questions and access to experts.
“This funding from nib will enable us to establish a research team that can take the best Australian and International evidence and apply it locally, nationally and globally,” Associate Professor Wolfenden says.
“Given the novelty of the virus, early responses to the disease outbreak were based on similar viruses such as SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) and MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome),” explains Associate Professor Wolfenden. “However, while COVID-19 is related to these viruses, it is genetically, epidemiologically and clinically distinct.”
One of the questions this project may address is is the incubation period and how does this impact quarantine.
A number of small studies have reportedly been done so far, the project aiming to pool their data to provide a more precise and reliable estimate of the incubation period.
HMRI Institute Director Professor Tom Walley emphasised the importance of a cohesive approach to applying evidence-based research in times of a global health crisis.
“This is a time when we need evidence and research, rather than opinion, to inform our actions,” Professor Walley says. “This work will make the best evidence available quickly to enable clinicians and policy makers to use it for patient benefit.”
Other important issues this project will examine include assessing the risk of infection and transmission among healthcare workers, and identifying the frequency and virus attach rates in schools.
nib Group Chief Medical Officer, Dr Mellissa Naidoo, said the $126,000 research partnership is important given there is still no vaccine or treatment for COVID-19.
“It’s vital that clinicians can access the most up to date research and evidence to inform patient care and community health,” Dr Naidoo said.
“We already have the expertise at a local level so we can move quickly to start work on the project,” Associate Professor Wolfenden says. “We’ll be working together over the next 6 – 8 months to ensure that the COVID-19 response is produced rapidly to a scientifically rigourous standard.”
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| Image Credit: APP |
