Project 3: Responding to Changing Serological and Viral Information around COVID-19 (RESPOND)

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Project Summary Responding to the COVID-19 pandemic requires research to understand how the virus is transmitted, what types of protection are most effective, how immunity is acquired and persists, and how to best encourage people to make use of available testing and vaccines. As our understanding of serologic and viral testing opportunities and implications of test results improves, so too does our ability to provide guidance to individuals at higher risk from exposure, such as first responders and their household contacts, as well as the general public. Communication about the risks related to COVID-19, which is reliable and tailored to the appropriate audience, empowers individuals to make the best decisions to protect themselves. Further, when a vaccine becomes available, a thorough understanding of the barriers and perceptions related to vaccination will be critical for promoting and facilitating uptake. Translating new basic science discoveries quickly and to the appropriate audiences will thus ensure the effectiveness of initiatives that can address the spread of COVID-19. To that end, Project 3, “Responding to Changing Serological and Viral Information around COVID-19 (RESPOND),” seeks to leverage information and discoveries from Projects 1 and 2, as well as from collaborations with other SeroNet Centers and Components, to develop actionable communication tools for organizations and individuals to empower them to utilize the most up-to-date information to guide their decisions. Using a mixed methods approach, including qualitative interviews and surveys in Year 1, we will first develop a baseline understanding of the communication mechanisms used by stakeholder organizations such as government and administrative health agencies, healthcare provider organizations, and employers of individuals at higher risk of exposure and disease transmission. We will also assess baseline understanding of COVID-19 risks and testing options by individuals at higher risk, including first responders and their household contacts, as well as patients undergoing cancer treatment. In Years 2-5, we will continue our mixed methods approach through follow-up interviews and surveys incorporating new information learned Projects 1 and 2, and from SeroNet collaborators. Throughout the study we will disseminate our findings through a project website presenting communication best practices and providing tools we develop for specific stakeholder audiences, as well as the general public.