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Consolidation of WGS and/or RT-PCR national infrastructures and capacities within Ireland to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and future health threats

Grant number: 101113133

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Key facts

  • Disease

    COVID-19

  • Start & end year

    2023
    2027

  • Known Financial Commitments (USD)

    $1,803,324.34

  • Funder

    European Commission

  • Principal Investigator

    Smith Tina

  • Research Location

    Ireland

  • Lead Research Institution

    HEALTH SERVICE EXECUTIVE HSE

  • Research Priority Alignment

    N/A

  • Research Category

    Epidemiological studies

  • Research Subcategory

    Disease surveillance & mapping

  • Special Interest Tags

    N/A

  • Study Type

    Not applicable

  • Clinical Trial Details

    N/A

  • Broad Policy Alignment

    Pending

  • Age Group

    Not Applicable

  • Vulnerable Population

    Not applicable

  • Occupations of Interest

    Not applicable

Abstract

In January 2021, the Chief Medical Officer / Chair, National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) requested the HSE to develop a proposal for SARS-CoV-2 Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) Surveillance Programme in Ireland. An expert Working Group, informed by international guidance developed a proposal to design and establish a suitable programme. This was presented to NPHET and approved for implementation. A Steering Group was established to oversee design & implementation of this SARS-CoV-2 WGS Surveillance Programme (the Programme). A regional hub and spoke model, incorporating 6 regional hospital laboratories (spoke labs) and a central National Virus Reference Laboratory (NVRL hub), along with HPSC (National Surveillance Centre). A 7th lab in CHI-Crumlin, national paediatric hospital joined in 2022) was established in Q4 2021. This model aligns with a concurrent Public Health Reform Programme in which there are six Regional Health Areas (regions). The Programme was launched in Q4 2021. The overarching aim of the Programme in phase 1 was to track the molecular epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 in Ireland to inform and enhance the urgent public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic through; 'Ä¢ National surveillance of variants (community & hospital) 'Ä¢ Early detection of variants of concern 'Ä¢ Complex outbreak investigation 'Ä¢ Vaccine escape/ reinfection investigation 'Ä¢ Unexpected change in transmissibility/ virulence investigation 'Ä¢ Antiviral resistance investigation 'Ä¢ Human-animal transmission investigation 'Ä¢ Monitoring immunocompromised patients undergoing antibody therapy 'Ä¢ Investigating unexpected changes in diagnostic performance 'Ä¢ Monitoring emerging lineages in animals The next phase of the Programme aims to make the Programme sustainable, expand WGS and molecular surveillance to other pathogens, develop more advanced data visualisation and generic workflow processes., develop clinical bio-informatic capacity in the Irish Health service and upskill Scientists an