Covid-19 international comparative research and rapid knowledge exchange hub on diagnostic testing systems
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Sussex
Department Name: University of Sussex Business School
Abstract
The proposed research asks how leading countries such as Germany and South Korea configure and use their national diagnostic testing systems for Covid-19 ('testing systems') in order to have relatively low rates of Covid-19 mortality per capita in their populations, to avoid or shorten 'lock-downs', and reduce economic impacts. We will identify the key elements of testing systems that have contributed to effective performance, including measures taken that have facilitated preparedness and resilience before the crisis, as well as those rapid innovations that have helped countries to deal with a fast evolving pandemic. We will explain how testing systems have been used, and how challenges related to testing have been overcome. The research will include the four nations of the UK and five further countries. Additionally, the role of transnational organisations such as the WHO, EU and large diagnostics companies will be studied to understand how tensions have been managed between increasing the quantity of new tests for Covid-19 and maintaining their quality.
The project will establish a UK research and knowledge exchange hub to will facilitate dialogue between the international research team and policy makers so that relevant questions are rapidly addressed and lessons are disseminated to policy makers and public audiences, in the UK, and beyond. In order to support COVID-19 responses deliverables will be shared from the early stages of this 12 month project. Additionally to inform preparations for future outbreaks, we will contribute to national and international fora seeking to learn lessons from the current crisis.
The project will establish a UK research and knowledge exchange hub to will facilitate dialogue between the international research team and policy makers so that relevant questions are rapidly addressed and lessons are disseminated to policy makers and public audiences, in the UK, and beyond. In order to support COVID-19 responses deliverables will be shared from the early stages of this 12 month project. Additionally to inform preparations for future outbreaks, we will contribute to national and international fora seeking to learn lessons from the current crisis.
| Description | The ongoing spread of SARS-CoV-2, as well as the risk of future pandemics, make it imperative for countries to learn from one another, particularly around the organisation of testing systems. Results from this study of the national testing systems in six countries (hereafter referred to as 'the study countries.') reveals flaws in UK Coronavirus testing compared with other countries. The analysis uses the framework outlined by the UK's Independent Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies - Find, Test, Trace, Isolate, Support ('FTTIS') - which presents five key components of a 'test and trace' system that is equipped to effectively control the spread of SARS-CoV-2. Study countries include Ireland, Germany, South Africa, South Korea Spain, and the UK. Findings show considerable variation in FTTIS systems across countries, and suggest three lessons for control of SARS-CoV-2: 1. As no country has a fully optimised testing system, all study countries can benefit from sharing lessons. 2. For most countries, key areas of focus should be on maintaining isolation and quarantine of individuals and providing support measures to ensure adherence to guidelines and wellbeing. 3. A full FTTIS system requires an additional evaluation component to enable learning, to address the changing challenges of Covid-19 response and share best practice internationally. Key lessons have been reported to key stakeholders and the general public: UK lessons • Of the study countries, the UK has the highest proven test capacity with 12,985 tests recorded per week per million capita in July (and rising). However, this capacity is not being used efficiently. • Coronavirus testing in the community in the UK is being delivered outside of the usual NHS structures, with access to testing and sample collection undertaken without the high levels of medical supervision seen in other countries. • Unlike other studied countries, testing in the UK has been undertaken outside accredited laboratories with experience of clinical testing for infectious diseases, raising quality concerns. • In the UK there appears to be no systematic follow-up of isolating or quarantining individuals, except for travelers returning from designated countries. This is against World Health Organisation (WHO) advice. • Low levels of sick pay may not be enough to prevent the financially insecure from continuing to work, even when unwell. The daily maximum levels of sick pay for isolating employees in Germany are equivalent to the UK's weekly rate. General lessons • Find: Combining active and passive case-finding approaches, identifying high-risk groups and using effective, tailored communication strategies are all imperative. • Test: The accuracy, utility, and reliability of tests depends on the procedures used for sample collection, handling, and processing. Leveraging existing laboratory networks enables rapid scale up of quality-assured tests. • Trace: Centralised, decentralised and digital contact tracing may be complementary, with careful consideration of how data can be shared across the FTTIS systems while protecting privacy. • Isolate: FTTIS systems should include some form of monitoring of individuals in isolation and quarantine to promote adherence to guidelines and wellbeing. • Support: Offering practical, financial, and material support to individuals in isolation and quarantine promotes adherence and wellbeing. • These components are interrelated and rely upon one another. • Openness and evaluation are integral to the FTTIS system, to support continual assessment, learning, evolution and international sharing of good practice |
| Exploitation Route | The project has gathered substantial data in real time across countries, in particular collecting a large volume of documents and compiling detailed country-level chronologies comparing the development of testing systems. These resources may be useful for future research. |
| Sectors | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Healthcare,Government, Democracy and Justice,Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology |
| URL | https://www.octs.info/ |
| Description | This six month long project was followed by a longer 15 month project (ES/W00156X/1) on the same subject matter. The impacts and key findings for both are discussed under the Researchfish record for ES/W00156X/1. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2020 |
| Sector | Healthcare |
| Impact Types | Societal,Policy & public services |
| Description | Optimising Covid-19 Testing System (OCTS) |
| Amount | £629,872 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | ES/W00156X/1 |
| Organisation | Economic and Social Research Council |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2021 |
| End | 06/2022 |
| Description | Collaboration with the International Comparators Joint Unit (ICJU) |
| Organisation | Cabinet Office |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | The research team has established a link with the ICJU as part of the co-development and dissemination activities of the project. This has involved discussing emerging areas of research interest for government and seeking to address these through our research. Our research has been combined with other streams of data available to ICJU in order to assist them in producing reports for policy makers in government. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The ICJU has provided a regular point of contact and regular meetings for the research team to discuss emerging areas of mutual research interest and facilitated discussions with relevant staff. These discussions are particularly helpful for the research team to understand how their research can best be delivered at a time and in a form that is most useful for policy makers. |
| Impact | An outcome from the collaboration has been the rapid sharing of research findings with ICJU, and the incorporation of these into relevant internal reports. The collaboration covers subject matter that is inherently interdisciplinary, spanning the social sciences (especially Science Policy), and the life sciences, including medicine. |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Description | "CSIC Investiga"(2021) Issue 1 - project mention |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | The project was described in issue 1 of "CSIC Investiga"(2021), the CSIC (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, the Spanish Council for Scientific Research) dissemination journal (p.45). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://digital.csic.es/handle/10261/229369 |
| Description | A team from the Universitat Politècnica de València participates in an international study of six countries that seeks to offer useful conclusions for political decision-making in the management of the pandemic |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Spanish media source castellón plaza covered the research of the Optimizing Coronavirus Testing Systems project, interviewing team member David Barberá on the scope of the project. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://castellonplaza.com/la-ciencia-extrae-lecciones-de-la-pandemia-el-rastreo-desigual-penaliza-a... |
| Description | AOL Operation Moonshot mass testing programme article 2020 Josh Moon |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | OCTS team member media interview. Dr Joshua Moon, research fellow in the Science Research Policy Unit (SPRU) at the University of Sussex Business School, raised concerns about the plans. He said: "A negative result could be that the individual is truly negative and therefore not infectious, or it could be that the individual is infected but early in the incubation period so isn't testing positive yet, or it could be that the test itself didn't capture enough viral material on the swab or saliva to test positive. In only one of these cases should the person be moving around as normal." |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://www.aol.co.uk/2020/09/09/operation-moonshot-mass-testing-could-create-a-freedom-passa/?gucco... |
| Description | Advice provided to TV documentary team (Dispatches, Channel 4) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Michael Hopkins was interviewed by the Dispatches documentary team, for a programme on NHS Test and Trace. The interview was not used in the final broadcast. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Appearance on Channel 4 News |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Michael Hopkins was interviewed and appeared briefly on the Channel 4 News weekend edition, on the topic of the September return to work/ school and the threat this posed in terms of increasing Covid-19 cases. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://www.channel4.com/news/coronavirus-police-warn-people-not-to-party-this-weekend |
| Description | BBC Radio 4 interview 2020-10-15 with MH |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Michael Hopkins interviewed on BBC Radio 4 in October 2020 regarding international comparisons & COVID However other countries around the world been managing to test trace care for patients what lessons can we learn from them Professor Michael Hopkins the science policy research unit University of Sussex is an author of the paper where an international team analysed and compared national testing systems in 6 countries that Spain South Korea South Africa Ireland Germany and arse in June July and August he told money Chesterton that we all have something to learn we are interested to look at some countries where clearly there was a high level of preparedness and quite sophisticated response on talking there about Germany and South Korea we wanted to include Spain because they had a very high level of cases and Ireland obviously also very close to the UK are physically and South Africa a country which we expected to have quite a well developed response with the resources they already have in place for contact tracing with other diseases such as TB and HIV this huge undertaking Michael because I mean if you just wanted to go through the UK and look it's how we have dealt with this current virus that's a lot of work for you doing that for 6 different countries which I'm assuming all have different populations different tests different tracing systems and how did you give some sort of structure to what you were looking at what we are focused on are the diagnostic testing systems which allow countries to nowhere viruses and to target resources in response and obviously also to identify those patients that need medical treatment and that these individuals need to be isolated but of course we are also interested in the wider context of lockdowns and social distancing measures but mostly focusing on testing said there are different stages to the testing elements so if we break that down into find test trace isolate and support first step is to find so how does all of these different countries find people to test the looking for people with the virus and these people may or may not have symptoms so how do they do that we have to identified individuals who have the virus that is a complicated task some of that is about identifying people who come forward with symptoms and we have to set up a system which enables these people to be rapidly tested I would call.... |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://eu.vocuspr.com/ViewNewsOnDemand.aspx?ArticleID=3639410_57919_100729 |
| Description | BBC Sussex radio interview with Joshua Moon Nov 2020 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Interviewed on BBC Sussex 20th November 2020. Dr Joshua moon a research fellow at the science policy research unit at University of Sussex and he's currently part of a research study into coronavirus testing around the world Dr moon Good morning Good morning think I mean well I just could into this then how come we're in November and there's no testing for passengers arriving or leaving airports biggest question the minute is whether or not it's a perfectly use of the testing capacity that we have in the testing resources but exist in in the UK I mean the issue that we have with testing is that if we demonstrate a positive with a test then we can act upon that but if we demonstrate that somebody is negative with a test that still might not mean that individual is actually negative we have the issue that that person could be pre symptomatic I they they are not necessarily transmitting the virus all spreading the virus but they are they will be in due course and it could be a symptom attic where they could be spreading the virus but having no symptoms and have not shown up on that and all the test could have just come up negative as a as a stand they kind of false negative outright it and all 3 Both all 3 of those cases Georgia You know once somebody like that in those seats in those circumstances getting onto a plane two year exactly And so that's that the issue with with testing both pre and kind of as they arrive into the country you don't really want them to be you know entering into locations where they're going to be an enclosed spaces you don't want them effectively in the general public spreading the virus and that's the worry with using a single test as as this problem for that's why some... |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://eu.vocuspr.com/ViewNewsOnDemand.aspx?ArticleID=3639410_57919_108142 |
| Description | Belfast Live article interview |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Media interview regarding coronavirus restrictions and prevention. Dr Joshua Moon, research fellow in sustainability research methods in the Science Policy Research Unit (SPRU) at the University of Sussex Business School, said the Government could adopt a "slow release valve" approach to the issue. He explained a phased approach might see certain sections of the population, for example healthy middle-aged people, given more freedoms initially, but he warned this risked the most vulnerable suffering the hardships of lockdown the longest. Dr Moon said family "clusters" could gradually be permitted to socialise, but could not make long journeys to do so, while most businesses remained shut. "The idea is that within those groups you can quite easily test, trace and isolate," he said, adding that it was harder to monitor for people moving around in public. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/boris-johnsons-roadmap-leaving-lockdown-18182027 |
| Description | Collaboration to produce BBC Radio 4 Programme |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Michael Hopkins was approached by the BBC Radio 4 Science Unit to collaborate in producing a 20+ minute feature for the series 'Inside Science'. The feature provided an opportunity to explore the findings of the project's research in detail, for a general audience. The broadcast was highly effective, with several further approaches from other media outlets being attracted to the research as a result. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000ncp8 |
| Description | Collaboration to produce BBC World Service (Radio) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The team was approached to contribute to a programme on Covid 'test and trace' systems by the BBC Radio Science Unit. The programme used the structure of our team's paper as a framework for a panel debate, with project team member Prof. Gail Davey also invited to join the panel and discuss our research. The programme was broadcast to a global audience estimated to be in the hundreds of millions. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct0xk2 |
| Description | Feature on project research in Guardian Newspaper article |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Michael Hopkins collaborated with a Guardian journalist to facilitate a production of synopsis of the project's research in a dedicated newspaper article. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/sep/24/uk-failing-to-use-its-high-covid-test-capacity-effi... |
| Description | Financial Times article: Britain's low-earners fall foul of rules on self-isolation. Choon Key Chekar coverage of South Korean Isolation support |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | For a January 2021 Financial Times article: Britain's low-earners fall foul of rules on self-isolation, team member Choon Key Chekar provided coverage of South Korean Isolation support, as a means of comparison with the UK who experienced comparatively high levels of non-compliance. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.ft.com/content/22544fbf-a5dd-4b3c-99c7-1341cb2b0eb5 |
| Description | Interview for Bloomberg on NHS Test and Trace |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Michael Hopkins was interviewed by a Bloomberg reporter on the topic of NHS Test and Trace. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://www.bloomberg.com/amp/news/articles/2020-09-12/johnson-pledges-millions-of-covid-tests-but-u... |
| Description | Interview on Moonshot Testing in The Independent |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | This interview on the UK's planned 'Operation Moonshot' for a functional antibody test led to a series of questions from other journalists that appeared as small comments in other pieces. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/coronavirus-test-operation-moonshot-boris-johnson-covid-b4... |
| Description | Invited Speech at Westminster Health Forum Policy Conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Michael Hopkins was invited to present key results from the project to an audience of politicians, policy makers, and professionals, and engage in debate around Covid-19 testing systems. The talk was apparently well received with questions and discussion. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | LBC Radio interview 2020-09-03 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Radio interview on UK testing strategy mentioning intl comparisons Matt Hancock promised that simply fails to deliver thanks for now here they were sure it was his political editor listening to that was Dr Joshua moon research fellow at the science policy research unit at the University of Sussex good afternoon tea good players here and you aware that Matt Hancock calls this particular saliva test project the moonshot I I would call it name calling the move a you can see let's see if it does what it says on the tin and so obviously it has to it if it were to come often be successful and it would still need to be part of a apparently of measures wouldn't it and support measures as well not just the actual testing Yeah exactly So doing research on multiple different country's testing system at the moment one of the things that were finding of researchers is not just about having the fastest left number 10 but having that testing actually be integrated within the system but both had contact tracing but also how you either in tented or enforcement of isolation cases concussed likely break chains of transmission rather than simply identifying the case for allowing them to continue as out by that normal for all are monitored as because it's a positive test still has implications exactly as it would if it was if it was arrived at today by different method exactly plus on top of that be never repaid achieve the test itself changes nothing about the kind of 7 day incubation period reprieve symptomatic I symptomatic cases are still going to be met in this case I would point you have to still considered important for contact tracing and a very keen eye and made contact not just pop self protecting really is the kind of part Of the holes also when he and others my ankle and others that Reef is make a comparison to the pregnancy test I immediately think to myself well a pregnancy test typically just done at home you know when you find out you tell your tell that's the end of it this is a different thing altogether isn't it somebody could get their positive saliva test at home and do nothing about that well exactly and that at least one part of this is the stability of the bank over the counter and more with hopefully unlikely to be over the counter kind of cat have this issue of you can take it you can do nothing about it they come back positive and just kind of continue longer days lots of it comes back negative you get a false sense of security a bit of a cult for it to be effective you saying it would absolutely have to be plugged into the national information network about coronavirus |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://eu.vocuspr.com/ViewNewsOnDemand.aspx?ArticleID=3639410_57919_90215 |
| Description | La Libre (Belgium) Media article on Germany's testing system |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Germany's secrets to being at the forefront of testing. Team member Sibylle Gaisser provided expertise on Germany's test and trace system, considered to be exemplary at that point of the pandemic (Oct 2020). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://www.lalibre.be/international/europe/2020/10/11/les-secrets-de-lallemagne-pour-etre-a-la-poin... |
| Description | Media response to DUK News COVID testing article. Which countries are REALLY winning the race to beat coronavirus? |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Media response to DUK News COVID testing article. Which countries are REALLY winning the race to beat coronavirus? Experts, however, say it's not so much how many tests you do, but what you do with the results, that is important. Dr Joshua Moon, a research fellow at the science policy research unit at the University of Sussex, who is studying coronavirus testing around the world, says: 'You can do all the testing you want, but if you're not using the results to feed into contact tracing, or asking people to isolate and ensuring compliance, then you are not breaking the chains of transmission.' Furthermore, testing speed 'matters as much as testing capacity', adds Professor Rowland Kao, an epidemiologist and data scientist at the University of Edinburgh. 'If you can't get the results back to people quickly, that means you can't follow up and catch further infections - which can lead to more delays and it just steamrolls.' Here, we look at the testing strategies a selection of countries are following, and ask the experts which - if any - pass the test. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://dailyuknews.com/health/which-countries-are-really-winning-the-race-to-beat-coronavirus/ |
| Description | OCTS team member media interview. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Team member media interview. Dr Joshua Moon, research fellow in the Science Policy Research Unit (SPRU), University of Sussex Business School, said the Government will "probably" reach the target. "But what that tells us is limited," he said. "The gap between capacity and tests done is important here because the capacity figure generally refers to overall testing capacity, not the Pillar 1 & Pillar 2 testing capacity which are linked to Test and Trace." Dr Moon said testing capacity alone is "not the route to suppressing the virus", adding: "We need a contact tracing system that can handle the number of cases referred to it, we need better support and enablers for isolation, and a Government communications strategy that is engaging, multi-media, and consistent." |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://www.aol.co.uk/2020/10/30/deadline-nears-for-boris-johnsona-s-500-000-testing-capacity-pl/ |
| Description | OCTS team member media interview. AOL article |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | OCTS team member media interview. Dr Joshua Moon, research fellow in the Science Research Policy Unit (SPRU) at the University of Sussex Business School, raised concerns about the plans. He said: "A negative result could be that the individual is truly negative and therefore not infectious, or it could be that the individual is infected but early in the incubation period so isn't testing positive yet, or it could be that the test itself didn't capture enough viral material on the swab or saliva to test positive. In only one of these cases should the person be moving around as normal." |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://www.aol.co.uk/2020/09/09/operation-moonshot-mass-testing-could-create-a-freedom-passa/?gucco... |
| Description | Radio Interview on BBC Radio 5 Live |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Interviewed on BBC Radio 5 Live with an approximate reach of 2.3 million people. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Radio Interview on LBC |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Interview about Operation Moonshot on LBC morning news |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Radio interview Heart Sussex |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Team member radio interview 2020-09-17 |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://eu.vocuspr.com/ViewNewsOnDemand.aspx?ArticleID=3639410_57919_93821 |
| Description | Radio interview for LBC |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Michael Hopkins was invited to discuss Covid testing on Heart Radio, also broadcast on LBC. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Radio interview for RTE (Ireland) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Two members of the team (Jim Ryan and Michael Hopkins) were interviewed for RTI (Ireland) in an item comparing the UK's and Ireland's Covid-19 testing strategies. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://www.rte.ie/radio/radioplayer/html5/#/radio1/21868759 |
| Description | Submission of evidence to Parliamentary enquiry |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | The team wrote a summary of early findings from their research and provided this as an evidence submission to the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee, addressing issues that had been published as of interest to the committee. The full text of the submission is available at the URL provided. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/8378/pdf/ |
| Description | Submission of evidence to Parliamentary enquiry |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | The project team provided substantial input into the preparation of an evidence submission to the House of Commons Parliamentary Science and Technology Committee on behalf of the Science Policy Research Unit, addressing a number of questions that had been published as being of interest to the committee. The full text of the submission is available at the URL provided. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/9525/pdf/ |
| Description | Team member media interview. AOL |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Team member media interview. Dr Joshua Moon, research fellow in the Science Research Policy Unit (SPRU) at the University of Sussex Business School, raised concerns about the plans. He said: "A negative result could be that the individual is truly negative and therefore not infectious, or it could be that the individual is infected but early in the incubation period so isn't testing positive yet, or it could be that the test itself didn't capture enough viral material on the swab or saliva to test positive. "In only one of these cases should the person be moving around as normal." |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://www.aol.co.uk/news/2020/09/09/experts-raise-concerns-over-negative-test-results-in-operation... |
| Description | The London Economic Article interview 2020-10-30 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Media interview with project team member for the London Economic Dr Moon said testing capacity alone is "not the route to suppressing the virus", adding: "We need a contact tracing system that can handle the number of cases referred to it, we need better support and enablers for isolation, and a Government communications strategy that is engaging, multi-media, and consistent." |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://www.thelondoneconomic.com/news/deadline-nears-for-pms-testing-capacity-pledge-as-cases-in-en... |
| Description | Two team members being interviewed by the Financial Times in featuring good international practices of self-isolation support systems |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Two team members (Michael Hopkins and Choon Key Chekar) were interviewed by the Financial Times in featuring self-isolation support systems. Dr Chekar summarised South Korean self-isolation support systems as an example of good practice and Prof Hopkins provided an overview from the study countries and pointed to the recommendations for the UK. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://www.ft.com/content/22544fbf-a5dd-4b3c-99c7-1341cb2b0eb5 |