Table 3 COVID-19 related research scope for Africa

Training a continent: a process evaluation of a virtual training on infection prevention and control in Africa in the context of COVID-19

The aim is to evaluate the design, delivery and target audience response to two Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) training activities, and make recommendations for ongoing/ future programming.

London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of Lagos

Completed paper submitted

None

Transmission risk of respiratory viruses in natural and mechanical ventilation environments: implications for SARS-CoV-2 transmission in Africa

To conduct a narrative review of evidence on ventilation systems, with emphasis on health structures and settings in Africa.

Yale School of Medicine

Completed and published, paper available at : https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32863269/#affiliation-4

None

World Health Organization international case control multicentre study – Assessment of risk factors for COVID-19 in health workers

(i) To characterize and assess the IPC risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 infection in health workers with exposure to COVID-19 patients

(ii) To describe the range of clinical

presentations for SARS-CoV-2 infection in health workers, including the duration and

severity of the disease

Nigerian Centre for Disease Prevention and Control;

World Health Organization Headquarters

Study ongoing

World Health Organization

Development and evaluation of resources to support IPC engagement with caregivers in hospitals.

To describe the role and function of family care givers in a hospital setting.

To develop tools to support engagement with infection prevention and control and care givers.

To pilot delivery of an engagement programme with care givers.

To conduct a process evaluation of the pilot intervention

Cameroon Baptist Convention Health Services, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

Study ongoing

DHSC through the UK-PHRST

COVID-19 droplet protection using face

shields: development of methods to

measure the effectiveness of face shields for local production and adoption in

low-resource settings

To acquire data on why people choose face shields (sometimes called visors), which are

being used extensively during the COVID-19

pandemic, especially in low- and middle-income countries, and on how they are worn, to inform

how face shields can be best designed to

minimize transmission of COVID-19 or other

influenza-like illness

University of East Anglia,

University of Lagos

Study ongoing

World Health Organization

Electrolysed water for hospital cleaning:

pilot study in Nigeria

To test the effectiveness of electrolysed water on hospital surfaces compared to standard products through a pilot laboratory study and a cluster randomized control trial in Nigeria.

Pilot objectives:

• To assess the feasibility of product

application

• To select high-touch surfaces

• To adapt the procedures for outcome

measurement

• To estimate the baseline microbiological

cleanliness for standard cleaning products

• To assess the potential effectiveness of

hypochlorous acid

• To refine the procedures for allocation

concealment

Nigeria Centre for Disease Prevention and Control,

London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

Study ongoing

World Health Organization

Infection Prevention and Control Technical Working Group Guidelines Evaluation

Ongoing review of publication utilization. Using an

iterative process to inform Guidelines subgroup and refine ongoing activities.

Analysis of website data and surveys of key stakeholders, including national IPC focal points and participants in step down training.

Africa Centre for Disease Prevention and Control

Completed: Internal report presentation shared.

None