Periodic Reporting for period 1 - VERDI (SARS-coV2 variants Evaluation in pRegnancy and paeDIatrics cohorts)
Reporting period: 2021-11-01 to 2023-04-30
Since the start of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in 2019, new ‘variants of concern’ have continued to emerge, and their potential impact on pregnant women and children is not well understood. Moreover, the mpox outbreak in Europe in 2022 highlighted the unpredictability of some infections and how crucial it is to monitor the outbreaks' effects and prepare mitigation measures, both in current high-risk groups and other groups which may be more affected in future. The experience of both COVID-19 and mpox has highlighted the need to facilitate a rapid research response to infection outbreaks, so that studies can be launched rapidly to identify population groups most at risk, as well as effective treatments and prevention strategies, without unnecessary duplication of effort.
The overall objective of VERDI is therefore to create a global network of cohort studies which can work together to provide evidence-based recommendations on the control and management of SARS-CoV-2 in pregnant women and children, and of mpox in high risk groups as well as in pregnancy and childhood. The consortium’s work will also be a key contribution to preparedness in case of future public health threats from new or re-emerging infections. The evidence and insight arising from the multidisciplinary research will help to rapidly deliver recommendations on the best strategies to control viral spread and optimize clinical management and treatment of COVID-19 and mpox infection.
The overall objective of VERDI is therefore to create a global network of cohort studies which can work together to provide evidence-based recommendations on the control and management of SARS-CoV-2 in pregnant women and children, and of mpox in high risk groups as well as in pregnancy and childhood. The consortium’s work will also be a key contribution to preparedness in case of future public health threats from new or re-emerging infections. The evidence and insight arising from the multidisciplinary research will help to rapidly deliver recommendations on the best strategies to control viral spread and optimize clinical management and treatment of COVID-19 and mpox infection.
The project builds on existing and new cohorts and partners across 29 centres of excellence in Europe (Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, UK) and globally (Haiti, Israel, Nigeria, South Africa, Thailand, USA) and focuses on pregnant women, children, and high-risk adults attending sexual health clinics. The inclusion of Estonia and expansion to high-risk adults is new and represents one of the main achievements for this reporting period. Cohorts vary from large-scale country level administrative health datasets to infection-specific cohorts at the regional level. Partners come together to answer a range of key research questions on the impact of SARS-CoV-2 and mpox, providing evidence to guide public health decision-making.
Key areas of focus in VERDI for SARS-CoV-2 are on the clinical outcomes of COVID-19 in pregnancy and paediatrics, transmission patterns in schools and households, and the impact of vaccination strategies. In terms of pregnancy, studies have been initiated to investigate whether different variants change the severity of illness in pregnant women, and whether vaccinating pregnant women for COVID-19 protects newborn health. For paediatrics, ongoing work is exploring the severity of COVID-19, immune response, outcomes and treatment of SARS-CoV-2 in children, transmission in households and schools and the impact of interventions, and the effects of vaccination on disease risk and severity. For mpox, work involves effects of vaccination on mpox transmission, characterising those acquiring mpox during the 2022 outbreak, as well as understanding people’s experiences of the mpox outbreak and associated social media and public health messaging.
Key areas of focus in VERDI for SARS-CoV-2 are on the clinical outcomes of COVID-19 in pregnancy and paediatrics, transmission patterns in schools and households, and the impact of vaccination strategies. In terms of pregnancy, studies have been initiated to investigate whether different variants change the severity of illness in pregnant women, and whether vaccinating pregnant women for COVID-19 protects newborn health. For paediatrics, ongoing work is exploring the severity of COVID-19, immune response, outcomes and treatment of SARS-CoV-2 in children, transmission in households and schools and the impact of interventions, and the effects of vaccination on disease risk and severity. For mpox, work involves effects of vaccination on mpox transmission, characterising those acquiring mpox during the 2022 outbreak, as well as understanding people’s experiences of the mpox outbreak and associated social media and public health messaging.
Within the first 18 months of the project, VERDI published 19 papers in peer review journals, and additionally several papers were posted on preprint servers and presented at conferences. Links are available via the VERDI website (https://verdiproject.org/).
VERDI has regular interaction with other EU-funded COVID-19 consortia and has helped to ensure that the health of pregnant women and children is prioritised in response to the pandemic. The additional focus on mpox in high risk adults attending sexual health clinics has contributed to a broadening of activities to preparedness for future (re)emerging infections.
VERDI has regular interaction with other EU-funded COVID-19 consortia and has helped to ensure that the health of pregnant women and children is prioritised in response to the pandemic. The additional focus on mpox in high risk adults attending sexual health clinics has contributed to a broadening of activities to preparedness for future (re)emerging infections.