COVID-19 Evidence Network to support Decision-making (COVID-END)

The science about how to prevent and manage COVID-19 and its spill-over effects on society is changing rapidly. Summaries of the best available science (which we call evidence syntheses) are the best place to turn when making decisions about public-health measures (e.g., wearing masks), clinical management (e.g., prescribing drugs), health-system arrangements (e.g., making the most of virtual doctor visits), and economic and social responses (e.g., adjusting schools and workplaces). COVID-END will bring together: 1) 25+ Canadian evidence-synthesis teams; 2) leaders of key Canadian initiatives that support the use of science by citizens, service providers and policymakers; 3) diverse citizen partners from across Canada; 4) Canadian professional bodies; and 5) policymakers and leaders from Canadian governments and health authorities. COVID-END will: 1)prepare and update evidence syntheses at the request of Canadian decision-makers in timelines ranging from 4 hours to 10 days; 2)maintain an inventory of the best evidence syntheses for COVID-19 decisions to ensure that Canadian decision-makers have available at all times the most updated summarized science; 3)work with Canadian decision-makers to ensure that their most urgent questions are prioritized and responded to by the most appropriate team in a timely way and that these decision-makers have the capacity to find and use the available science in their decision-making; 4)keep alert to emerging issues where evidence syntheses may be needed in the future; and 5)work with Canadian and global partners to reduce duplication and enhance coordination in the evidence response to COVID-19. COVID-END will undertake (or co-create) its work in close partnership with citizens and with the decision-makers who pose questions and whose existing processes we need to intersect with. COVID-END will disseminate and support the use of its work both directly and through many existing initiatives.