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Table 1 Research gaps identified during the GloPID-R COVID-19 Research Synergies Meetings

From: Ending COVID-19: progress and gaps in research—highlights of the July 2020 GloPID-R COVID-19 Research Synergies Meetings

Research gaps identified

Vaccines

o Harmonisation of endpoints and regulatory requirements that will facilitate multinational trials, the evaluation of vaccine candidates and comparisons across studies.

o SARS-CoV-2 prevalence data that will support the choice of clinical sites and trial designs that can adapt to the evolving pandemic.

o Define the immune correlates of protection to understand if and how long-term memory can be induced through vaccination.

o Explore social and behavioural aspects related to vaccines to prepare populations and address vaccine hesitancy for when a vaccine becomes available.

Therapeutics

o Integrate innovative methods, such as computer-aided drug design in search of effective therapeutics, particularly in the absence of promising strategies out of wet labs.

o Define the efficacy of combination treatment and gain a better understanding of the interactions between different drugs, and the role of stage of illness, comorbidities and coinfections in treatment effectiveness.

Transmission

o Increase use of phylogenetic analyses to distinguish sporadic disease importation from amplification and to better understand “superspreader” events.

o Better investigate the role of children in transmission, in particular the superspreading potential of school settings and the long-term consequences of SARS-CoV-2 infection in children.

o Understand the role of airflows and aerosol transmission, and why some infected patients do not transmit the virus further.

o Understand whether transmission from humans to animals might be a concern in future waves/resurgences.

o Understand SARS-CoV-2 potential circulation in animal populations.

Social Sciences Research

o Understand social contexts and social rules to better engage communities and achieve control of outbreaks, considering that vaccines may or may not be available, or equitably available between different social groups.

o Use qualitative and quantitative methods to highlight those individuals and populations who are falling through the cracks, i.e. the most vulnerable, or those presenting cumulative vulnerabilities: the homeless, people who use drugs, inmates, sex workers and migrant workers.