Periodic Reporting for period 2 - I-MOVE-COVID-19 (Multidisciplinary European network for research, prevention and control of the COVID-19 Pandemic)
Reporting period: 2021-03-16 to 2022-06-15
Objective of proposal: We aim to obtain epidemiological, clinical and virological information about COVID-19 and patients infected with COVID-19, through provision of a flexible surveillance platform (adaptable to the epidemiological situation), research studies, hypothesis-testing and evaluation of public health interventions (e.g. vaccination,) in order to contribute to the knowledge base, guide patient management, and inform the public health response. This will be achieved through adaptation and expansion of the existing, long-running, Europe-wide influenza surveillance network (I-MOVE) to include COVID-19. The network includes primary care networks, hospitals, national laboratory reference centres in 11 countries.
The objectives are:
- To reinforce preparedness for COVID-19 in the EU, UK and Albania through strengthening capacities for surveillance in both sentinel primary care networks and hospitals
- To develop a real-time adaptation of existing or develop new surveillance protocols for primary care, hospital and laboratory surveillance systems for this novel coronavirus in order to reinforce preparedness for COVID-19 across European countries
- To implement and adapt existing primary care, hospital and laboratory surveillance systems to the epidemiological context of COVID-19
- To describe clinical, laboratory, case management and treatment characteristics of COVID-19 cases identified through primary care practice and hospital surveillance networks
- To test all suspected COVID-19 cases identified in the network for laboratory confirmation
- To identify risk factors for infection at primary care level and for severity at hospital level
- To measure COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness
The objectives are:
- To reinforce preparedness for COVID-19 in the EU, UK and Albania through strengthening capacities for surveillance in both sentinel primary care networks and hospitals
- To develop a real-time adaptation of existing or develop new surveillance protocols for primary care, hospital and laboratory surveillance systems for this novel coronavirus in order to reinforce preparedness for COVID-19 across European countries
- To implement and adapt existing primary care, hospital and laboratory surveillance systems to the epidemiological context of COVID-19
- To describe clinical, laboratory, case management and treatment characteristics of COVID-19 cases identified through primary care practice and hospital surveillance networks
- To test all suspected COVID-19 cases identified in the network for laboratory confirmation
- To identify risk factors for infection at primary care level and for severity at hospital level
- To measure COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness
Over the project period, I-MOVE-COVID-19 project has developed and consolidated a network of primary care, hospital and laboratory networks that have contributed to strengthen surveillance of COVID-19, and to increase the epidemiological, clinical and virological knowledge of COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2.
The network was ready to start the evaluation of COVID-19 vaccines as soon as the vaccines started to be rolled out. Despite the extremely difficult period for all beneficiaries (extremely high workload as first responders in the pandemic, high proportion of sick leave in many teams), the project has reached its objectives. Having a small and medium enterprise (SME) as Consortium Coordinator, not involved in the pandemic response, was key to support work package leaders, ensure the management of the Consortium and coordinate scientific aspects.
Surveillance, risk factors and vaccine effectiveness protocols are available in the I-MOVE-COVID-19 website and have been shared with national authorities, international agencies and other European Consortia. Surveillance bulletins are also accessible through the website.
The I-MOVE-COVID-19 team has published up to now 15 articles in peer-reviewed journals (others have been submitted for the review and others are in preparation) and presented results at international conferences (ESWI 2020, ESCAIDE 2021, ESCMID 2021, Spanish society of Epidemiology 2020, ESCAIDE 2022, Options XI 2022).
All results were presented in the annual I-MOVE-COVID-19 virtual meetings to which external partners were invited (ECDC, EMA, WHO,US-CDC, University of Hong Kong, CEPI, PAHO, Canadian teams, Australian teams).
The network was ready to start the evaluation of COVID-19 vaccines as soon as the vaccines started to be rolled out. Despite the extremely difficult period for all beneficiaries (extremely high workload as first responders in the pandemic, high proportion of sick leave in many teams), the project has reached its objectives. Having a small and medium enterprise (SME) as Consortium Coordinator, not involved in the pandemic response, was key to support work package leaders, ensure the management of the Consortium and coordinate scientific aspects.
Surveillance, risk factors and vaccine effectiveness protocols are available in the I-MOVE-COVID-19 website and have been shared with national authorities, international agencies and other European Consortia. Surveillance bulletins are also accessible through the website.
The I-MOVE-COVID-19 team has published up to now 15 articles in peer-reviewed journals (others have been submitted for the review and others are in preparation) and presented results at international conferences (ESWI 2020, ESCAIDE 2021, ESCMID 2021, Spanish society of Epidemiology 2020, ESCAIDE 2022, Options XI 2022).
All results were presented in the annual I-MOVE-COVID-19 virtual meetings to which external partners were invited (ECDC, EMA, WHO,US-CDC, University of Hong Kong, CEPI, PAHO, Canadian teams, Australian teams).
I-MOVE-COVID-19 was an inspiration for other networks measuring COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness.
The I-MOVE-COVID-19 generic vaccine effectiveness protocols were shared with ECDC, EMA, WHO/EURO, CEPI, RECOVER, and ORCHESTRA. They are referenced in the WHO guidance “Evaluation of COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness” and available on the WHO website.
The hospital-based vaccine effectiveness protocol was the basis for the development of the WHO/EURO and ECDC protocols.
The multicountry/multicentre model based on surveillance platforms and allowing pooling of data at regional level has been a model for other regions: the E-SAVE network (European SARI VE network, supported by WHO/EURO), AFRO-MoVE (African Monitoring VE supported by WHO/AFRO), the EMRO VE network (Eastern Mediterranean Region network supported by WHO/EMRO) and VEBIS (ECDC’s Vaccine Effectiveness, Burden of Disease and Impact Studies platform).
In conclusion, I-MOVE-COVID-19 has responded to its main objectives by building a long-term, sustainable surveillance and research network that will continue contributing to surveillance, research and evaluation of vaccines, not only for COVID-19 but also for other respiratory pathogens (e.g. influenza, respiratory syncytial virus).
The I-MOVE-COVID-19 generic vaccine effectiveness protocols were shared with ECDC, EMA, WHO/EURO, CEPI, RECOVER, and ORCHESTRA. They are referenced in the WHO guidance “Evaluation of COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness” and available on the WHO website.
The hospital-based vaccine effectiveness protocol was the basis for the development of the WHO/EURO and ECDC protocols.
The multicountry/multicentre model based on surveillance platforms and allowing pooling of data at regional level has been a model for other regions: the E-SAVE network (European SARI VE network, supported by WHO/EURO), AFRO-MoVE (African Monitoring VE supported by WHO/AFRO), the EMRO VE network (Eastern Mediterranean Region network supported by WHO/EMRO) and VEBIS (ECDC’s Vaccine Effectiveness, Burden of Disease and Impact Studies platform).
In conclusion, I-MOVE-COVID-19 has responded to its main objectives by building a long-term, sustainable surveillance and research network that will continue contributing to surveillance, research and evaluation of vaccines, not only for COVID-19 but also for other respiratory pathogens (e.g. influenza, respiratory syncytial virus).