Optimising Covid-19 Testing System (OCTS)

本研究询问主要国家如何组织和使用Covid-19国家和区域诊断检测系统（“检测系统”），以降低其人口中Covid-19的人均死亡率，避免或缩短“封锁”，并减少大流行的经济影响。我们将解释在大流行期间检测系统是如何形成的，以及如何克服与检测相关的挑战。这项研究将横跨北美、欧洲、非洲、亚洲和澳大利亚以及英国。该项目建立在苏塞克斯大学已建立的英国Covid-19研究和知识交流中心的基础上，该中心一直在促进国际研究团队与英国内外决策者之间关于Covid-19诊断测试的快速对话和传播。该中心在报告结果方面有着良好的记录，受到英国公务员的广泛欢迎和重视，并在媒体上向公众广泛报道。随着大流行的持续，了解检测系统的使用对于优化Covid-19应对和拯救生命至关重要。随着创新和学习的继续（例如围绕英国政府雄心勃勃的大规模测试计划），我们建议进行进一步的比较研究，以分享不同背景下的经验教训。为了支持国际社会应对Covid-19，我们将与各国政府接触，分享这个为期15个月项目最初几个月的成果。此外，为了为今后疫情和大流行病的准备工作提供信息，我们将为寻求从当前危机中吸取教训的国家和国际论坛作出贡献。

This study asks how leading countries are organising and using national and regional diagnostic testing systems for Covid19 ('testing systems') in order to reduce Covid-19 mortality per capita in their populations, to avoid or shorten 'lock-downs', and reduce economic impacts from the pandemic. We will explain how testing systems have been shaped during the pandemic, and how challenges related to testing are overcome. The research will span North America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia as well as the UK.The project builds on an established Covid-19 UK research and knowledge exchange hub at the University of Sussex that has been facilitating rapid dialogue and dissemination of research on Covid-19 diagnostic testing between the international research team and policy makers in the UK and beyond. The hub has a track-record of reporting results that have been widely welcomed and valued by the UK civil service and reported widely to public audiences in the media. As the pandemic continues, understanding the use of testing systems remains vital to optimise the Covid-19 response and save lives. With innovation and learning continuing (e.g. around the UK government's ambitious mass-testing programme), we propose to undertake further comparative research to share lessons across contexts.In order to support Covid-19 responses internationally, we will engage with governments and share deliverables from the early months of this 15-month project. Additionally, to inform preparations for future outbreaks and pandemics, we willcontribute to national and international fora seeking to learn lessons from the current crisis.