Efficient and rapidly SCAlable EU-wide evidence-driven Pandemic response plans through dynamic Epidemic data assimilation

Project Information

ESCAPE

Grant agreement ID: 101095619

DOI

10.3030/101095619

EC signature date 6 October 2022

Start date 1 January 2023

End date 31 December 2026

Funded under

• Health

Total cost

€ 2 420 930,00

EU contribution

€ 2 420 929,75

Coordinated by

UNIVERSITEIT HASSELT
Belgium

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - ESCAPE (Efficient and rapidly SCAlable EU-wide evidence-driven Pandemic response plans through dynamic Epidemic data assimilation)

Reporting period: 2024-07-01 to 2025-12-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

In an interconnected world, the emergence of a novel "Pathogen X" is a matter of "when," not "if." The COVID-19 pandemic revealed that our response speed often lags behind viral spread due to fragmented data, inconsistent modeling, and rigid decision-making frameworks. ESCAPE addresses these vulnerabilities by transforming past lessons into a "pandemic engine" designed for speed and scientific accuracy. We bridge the gap between scientists and policymakers to ensure that when a new threat appears, Europe is prepared with immediate, evidence-based tools rather than starting from scratch.
To achieve this, ESCAPE focuses on six key objectives:
Blueprint for Decisions: Providing a science-based guide for faster, better management of novel outbreaks.
Data Readiness: Enhancing the availability and sustainable sharing of high-quality health data.
Advanced Analytics: Developing sophisticated models to project how Pathogen X transmits through society.
Digital Toolkits: Sharing open-source software to monitor and plan effective responses.
Success Analysis: Identifying what worked, and what didn't, during SARS-CoV-2 to guide future policy.
Collaborative Intelligence: Building a sustained community of experts and data stewards equipped to defeat epidemics together.
By integrating social behavior with advanced epidemiology, ESCAPE creates a defense system, ensuring the global community can stay one step ahead of the next health crisis.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

Blueprint for Decisions: Developed a pathogen categorization, started and open-source blueprint tool and R package for rapid pandemic response.
Data Readiness:Improved data readiness via AI literature mapping, a cohort web atlas, and high-quality synthetic population modeling.
Advanced Analytics: Developing sophisticated models to project how Pathogen X transmits through society.
Digital Toolkits: Toolkit available on project website.
Success Analysis: Analyzed COVID-19 to find trade-offs in health and well-being, identifying strategic NPIs as key for Pathogen X success.
Collaborative Intelligence: Sustaining a community of data stewards and experts through active engagement with policy, media, and the public.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

We want to empower public health authorities by creating a comprehensive toolkit to tackle future "Pathogen X" outbreaks with confidence. Our team has mapped data needs across Europe, building a web-based atlas of cohorts and pioneering "synthetic populations" to simulate disease spread. To turn these insights into action, we launched a digital toolkit of open-source tools for the global scientific community and established a network of expert "Data Stewards" to manage critical information during crises. By analyzing the COVID-19 response across 61 countries, we uncovered how political ideology, culture, and social fatigue influence vaccination and public adherence. Our findings highlight the delicate balance between saving lives, protecting the economy, and maintaining mental well-being. Finally, we are translating this science into clear standards for the media and policymakers, ensuring that during the next pandemic, the public receives information that is accurate, timely, and easy to understand.