BC research funders create first-time partnership for nine new COVID-19 projects
Outcomes will have direct impact on the health of people in BC
VANCOUVER, BC, May 20, 2021 /CNW/ - Genome BC, the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research, and the BCCDC Foundation for Public Health have partnered for the first time to fund rapid response research initiatives that will have a direct impact – in a matter of months – on people in British Columbia during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Valued at approximately $1.3 million, a total of nine new projects have been selected for funding, covering a range of priority research areas, including:
- vaccine breakthrough infections;
- vaccine effectiveness in the context of variants of concern and immune response;
- viral transmission;
- equitable distribution of vaccines;
- vaccine acceptance and attitudes towards vaccines; and,
- vaccine literacy and hesitancy among people who are pregnant or breastfeeding, people who are incarcerated, people who work in long-term care homes and a variety of multicultural communities in the Lower Mainland.
The projects are being led by researchers at the BC Centre for Disease Control, BC Children's Hospital Institute, Simon Fraser University, University of British Columbia (UBC), UBC Okanagan, and University of Victoria.
The supported projects represent a mix of laboratory-based and social dynamics studies, offering critical insights to urgent issues, while supporting near-term targeted public health responses, and helping to ensure access to and confidence in vaccination programs for everyone in BC.
Strategic partners on this initiative also include the BC Academic Health Science Network (BC AHSN) and Population Data BC. BC AHSN, through the BC SUPPORT Unit, has partnered on the call by providing support to public engagement reviewers to participate in the review process. In addition, the Unit will provide consultation, training and support to those who are interested in engaging patients and families, public and/or community members as partners on their research teams. Population Data BC is offering guidance and advice to the funded researchers on data access and linkage, and continuing in its efforts to make the data access process as simple and straightforward as possible for the research community.
QUOTES
Dr. Pascal Spothelfer, President and CEO, Genome BC
"With our partners, Genome BC continues to drive BC-based research solutions that will deliver swift and meaningful impacts on the COVID-19 pandemic and the vaccine rollout. We are committed to advancing real-time applications to enable a healthier future for all people living in British Columbia."
Dr. Bev Holmes, President & CEO, Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research
"As BC's health research funding agency, we recognize that BC's successful response to COVID-19 involves policy approaches anchored in science. By pooling resources with our partners, we are leveraging our strengths to help generate needed evidence for the benefit of British Columbians and their communities."
Kristy Kerr, Executive Director, BCCDC Foundation for Public Health
"Working with our partners to address immediate COVID-19 priorities means that we can – and are – making a collective impact on public health. Because engagement of the public, government and public health stakeholders have been prioritized in these projects, we've ensured that all of the emerging research truly addresses the needs of local populations here in B.C. It is our job to help protect the people of British Columbia, to foster positive public health outcomes, and to create opportunities for equitable solutions. We are doing this better – and faster – by having joined forces."
About Genome British Columbia:
Genome BC is a not-for-profit organization supporting world-class genomics research and innovation to grow globally competitive life sciences sectors and deliver sustainable benefits for British Columbia, Canada and beyond. The organization's initiatives are improving the lives of British Columbians by advancing health care in addition to addressing environmental and natural resource challenges. In addition to scientific programming, Genome BC works to integrate genomics into society by supporting responsible research and innovation and foster an understanding and appreciation of the life sciences among educators, students and the public.
About MSFHR:
The Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research (MSFHR) is British Columbia's health research funding agency. Funded by the Province of British Columbia, MSFHR helps develop, retain and recruit the talented people whose research improves the health of British Columbians, addresses health system priorities, creates jobs and adds to the knowledge economy. Learn more at www.msfhr.org.
About the BCCDC Foundation for Public Health:
The BCCDC Foundation for Public Health protects the health of people in B.C., prevents threats to public health, and helps protect our community's health by inspiring action and advocacy in B.C. It is a small organization that is making a very big impact on public health by leading public health initiatives and funding evidence-based projects and research that contribute to better public health outcomes for people in B.C., www.bccdcfoundation.org
PROJECT SUMMARIES
Daniel Ting, UBC
Vaccine Effectiveness of Variants in British Columbia
The Canadian COVID-19 Emergency Department Rapid Response Network (CCEDRRN) has harmonized data collection for COVID-19 tested patients across 50 emergency departments in 8 provinces, including BC. This new project will leverage CCEDRRN's existing and growing registry infrastructure to determine the real-world effectiveness of vaccines in BC in reducing severe COVID-19, as documented by emergency admission. Research efforts will specifically focus on vaccine effectiveness against the P.1 Variant of Concern circulating in BC, and on effectiveness of a single dose to assess outcomes of Canada's dose delay. This study will provide critical real-world data about vaccine performance and support key study sites in the Lower Mainland.
Zabrina Brumme, Simon Fraser University
COVID-19 vaccine immune response with HIV
This project will evaluate the magnitude and duration of COVID-19 vaccine immune response over time in persons with and without HIV (control). Laboratory analysis investigating both antibody and cellular immune responses will also consider recognition of emerging Variants of Concern. This study also includes looking at socio-demographic and other correlates of immunity differences to try to help direct public health response around handling vaccination for individuals living with HIV and, potentially, other immunocompromised individuals.
Agatha Jassem, UBC, BC Centre for Disease Control
COVID-19 SMILES – the study of vaccine escape mutants
Vaccine escape mutants have the potential to undermine the effectiveness of the global vaccination campaign against SARS-CoV-2. The team will develop a surveillance program to detect and sequence viral variants emerging from vaccine breakthrough infections. These mutants will be tested experimentally to understand their responsiveness to vaccine-induced immunity, and modeling will be incorporated to project the impacts of vaccine escape mutants on transmission and pandemic progression in BC.
Catherine Hogan, UBC, BC Centre for Disease Control
VITAL: Vaccine Investigation of Transmission Analysis Longitudinally and Effectiveness
This project will integrate data sources to investigate (1) the impact of SARS CoV-2 vaccination on viral load and subsequent infection transmission at a population level and (2) the characteristics of individuals who have post-vaccine breakthrough infections with and without Variants of Concern. The outcome of this work will be to understand the vaccination scenarios most likely to effectively halt transmission in BC, and to help plan and prioritize public health interventions.
Sofia Bartlett, UBC, BC Centre for Disease Control
Advancing COVID–19 vaccines in BC Prisons
A previous COVID-19 study in BC Provincial Correctional Centres in January 2021 identified that COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among people who are incarcerated (PWAI) was low, with only 59% (181/308) of PWAI surveyed indicating they would accept a COVID-19 vaccine if offered. To increase COVID-19 vaccine confidence among PWAI, the team will undertake a community-based study including PWAI in the research design process and as peer educators. Quantitative surveys will be developed with PWAI, then deployed to determine current vaccine literacy levels and concerns about COVID-19 vaccines among PWAI. Using this data, educational resources will be co-developed with PWAI, and peer-educator training provided to PWAI.
Julie Bettinger, UBC, BC Children's Hospital Institute
COVID-19 South Asian Community Response Study
Statistics Canada estimates South Asians are 50-60% less likely to get a COVID-19 vaccine due to misinformation and fear of adverse events. Our study will identify the information needs, values, beliefs, and experiences related to COVID-19 vaccination among ethnically South Asian communities in the lower mainland of British Columbia and develop culturally appropriate communication interventions to promote COVID-19 vaccination.
Marie Tarrant, UBC Okanagan
COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in pregnancy, breastfeeding, and parenthood
Limited data on COVID-19 vaccine developments for pregnant and breastfeeding persons as well as for children may increase vaccine hesitancy in Canada. To counter misinformation and promote vaccine uptake, this project will examine vaccine hesitancies and concerns among people who are (or planning to be) pregnant or breastfeeding and parents with young children in BC. Quantitative and qualitative data will be collected to examine COVID-19 vaccine knowledge, concerns, and vaccine hesitancy to assist in developing knowledge mobilization materials for these groups. A deeper understanding of these communities' hesitancies will allow us to create tailored resources for these priority populations to promote vaccine acceptance.
Katelin Albert, University of Victoria
What British Columbians Know and Think about COVID-19 and Vaccinations
This research investigates Southern British Columbians' concerns, opinions, and attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccinations and public health initiatives, and what contributes to these beliefs. In order to combat misinformation and vaccine hesitancy, this project will uncover what information people have, what they do with that information, and how it influences their attitudes towards vaccination. From those insights, these efforts will contribute to revealing the relationships between people's views of personal and public safety, their attitudes towards vaccination, their behaviours during this pandemic, and the daily stressors and mental health needs that might lead them to draw on misinformation or adopt risky behaviours.
Valorie Crooks, Simon Fraser University
The INFORM Study
The COVID-19 pandemic has created a crisis in long-term care. In Fraser Health, there have been 105 outbreaks and 426 deaths across its 85 long-term care facilities. Even with the arrival of vaccines, challenges still exist for this sector and this project will address the emerging challenge of concerningly low rates of vaccination among long-term care staff in Fraser Health. This team of researchers and integrated end-users will tackle this problem by developing and disseminating tailored informational tools through a two-pronged qualitative approach. The tools will also be more widely distributed throughout British Columbia using engaged end-user networks.
SOURCE Genome British Columbia
Jennifer Boon, Communications Manager, Public and Media Relations, Genome British Columbia, Mobile: 778-327-8374, Email: [email protected]; Chelsey Gill, Manager, Marketing & Communications, Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research, Mobile: 604-714-5375, Email: [email protected]; Allison Murray, Associate, Boldt Communications for the BCCDC Foundation for Public Health, Mobile: 604-442-1846, Email: [email protected]
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