The Australian government swift interventions and actions early to the COVID 19 epidemic included enforced quarantine, isolation, varying degrees of social and physical distancing measures, travel restrictions, community level testing and enhanced contact tracing models which effected the trajectory of the epidemic impact. While the search for effective therapeutics and vaccines continues, it is important to understand how to effectively implement and optimise the current public health interventions available; application of traditional contact tracing , contributions of new contact tracing mobile phone applications, community level testing and use of specific fit for purpose diagnostic tests; to screen, detect and provide evidence of infection clearance. While the suppression measures have been effective on disease transmission rates, it has had economic, social and non COVID-19 health costs impacts. As community restrictions change it will be important to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of these key interventions. This is a longitudinal study that will follow the experience and behaviors of 2 key risk populations impacted by COVID-19 transmission containment measures.
This is a mixed methods longitudinal study of a cohort of 1000 participants for a 18 month
period. Victorian adults from three key risk populations will be recruited into two
longitudinal cohort groups. It will follow the experiences and behaviors of the groups;
Recruitment group 1/Seed set 1 - recently diagnosed 'COVID-19 cases' (Group 1) and their
social network with up to 2 waves of /Key people, will be followed up for 1 month initially
with specific monitoring tools before they will transition into ongoing follow up and
monitoring as recruitment group 2 Recruitment group 2/Seed set 2 - people from the general
community that are not currently infected with COVID19 'Group 2' that are practicing physical
distancing and represent specific key risk groups, and their social network with up to 2
waves of Key people.
Over sampling of vulnerable populations including people with disabilities, single parents
and people living alone will be conducted across all groups. Individuals may be invited to
participate in more than one cohort when they change between risk population definitions.
The project aims to meet the following objectives using a longitudinal cohort design and a
mixed method of qualitative and quantitative tools to enable us to assess changes within
individuals over time and to assess the influence of social networks on their health,
well-being, attitudes and perceptions.
Objectives of the study are:
1. To assess adherence to government intervention strategies (i.e. early testing, isolation
and physical distancing) and identify factors that promote/inhibit compliance to
intervention strategies designed to reduce transmission.
2. To better understand, assess and monitor the unintended health, social and economic
consequences of the government interventions to control COVID-19 transmission
3. To collect and collate empirical data regarding transmissions dynamics, social contacts
and mixing patterns of COVID19 cases , their contacts and key vulnerable groups to
develop and refine mathematical models that will improve the precision and timeliness of
dynamic transmission estimates.
Inclusion Criteria:
- Community participants
Exclusion Criteria:
- Unable to provide consent
The Macfarlane Burnet Institute for Medical Research and Public Health
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Margaret Hellard, Principal Investigator
The Macfarlane Burnet Institute for Medical Research and Public Health