CoVaRR-Net Researchers

Nazeem Muhajarine, University of Saskatchewan, Pillar 8 & Project Lead

Cory Neudorf, University of Saskatchewan, Pillar 8 Deputy
Cheryl Camillo, University of Regina, Pillar 8 Deputy
Doug Manuel, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Pillar 8 Deputy
Andrew Morris, Mount Sinai Hospital, Pillar 8 Deputy
Andrea MacKay, Pillar 8 Research Associate
Wendie Marks, Pillar 8 Coordinator and Research Associate
Shelby Rowein, Pillar 8 Research Associate
Kimberly Huyser, Pillar 7 Lead
Jeremy Grimshaw, Pillar 9 Lead
Melissa Brouwer, Pillar 9 Lead

Collaborators

Thilina Bandara, Urban Public Health Network
Na-Koshie Lamptey, Toronto Public Health
Sara Allin, North American Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto

Lay Summary

Keeping track of the existing and emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) will be an important part of public health practice for the foreseeable future. Monitoring Canadian jurisdictions’ policy responses and their effects will inform future responses to VOCs.

Our project’s goals are to:

  • Understand how public health and policymakers are dealing with VOCs across Canada; and
  • Make sure all public health and governments across the country are developing efficient and effective processes and policies to detect and mitigate the spread of these variants.

We will use existing research infrastructure at the University of Saskatchewan and the University of Toronto, as well as our access to front-line expertise with local Medical Health Officers through our partnership with the Urban Public Health Network, to gather real-time, VOC-related epidemiological and practice and policy information. Collectively, this work will assist public health authorities in creating VOC best practice guidelines that will inform public health authorities, researchers and policymakers on how to effectively conduct this important and increasingly relevant health protection work.

Budget

CoVaRR-Net: $50,000 cash contribution