Reach-back, scientific and technical support networks for COVID-19 crisis

management

Günter POVODEN

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Introduction• Scientific and technical support requires a well

established network of experts at national, regional andinternational level

• The EU CBRN CoE has proven to be part of such anetwork supporting the management of the COVID-19crisis

• To quote President Van der Leyen*:

"The coronavirus is rapidly changing our lives andsocieties. All governments have to take well-informed andappropriate decisions for the people of Europe every day.That is why scientific expertise and good advice is nowmore valuable than ever…“

*https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/IP_20_481

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Scientific and technical back-up:Challenges• Lack of information as the virus was unknown

• Only a few scientific studies available

• What data is needed?

• What numbers can be trusted?

• What are the most urgent gaps to be filled?

• Different scientists, different views, divergingstudiesPro for decision makers: Choosing opinions fitting the

agendaCon for decision makers: Am I on the right track?

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The dynamic of the EU CBRN CoE initiative• Exchange of information (regional secretariats

and national focal points, on-site assistanceexperts, JRC, DEVCO, UNICRI, projectimplementers, etc.)

• Immediate re-orientation of projects

• Ad-hoc workshops at regional level addressingspecific problems and presenting best practicesin the countries

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EU CBRN CoE bio-projects supporting the response to the COVID-19

• Projects MedilabSECURE + MediPIET + STRONGLABS• taking into account the effects climate change on infectious diseases,

the migration of potential vectors and the alert capacity of laboratoriesand institutions in charge of field epidemiology to prevent epidemics ofnew types.

• These projects are running in 5 CoE regions: AfricanAtlantic Façade, Middle East, North Africa and Sahel,South East and Eastern Europe, Central Asia

• Projects have contributed to prepare the partnercountries (close to 30) to face the SARS-CoV-2pandemic and have been immediately reoriented,e.g. towards a new concrete action plan

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Examples of networks

MediLabSECURE is implemented to the benefit of 22 EU neighbouring countries from the Mediterranean, Black Sea and Sahel Regions. The project has created 5 networks supporting the COVID-19 response

1. Laboratory Human Virology network

2. Laboratory Animal Virology network,

3. Laboratory Medical Entomology network

4. Public Health Institutes network

5. Veterinary Services Public Health network

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Success story resulting from these networks

Thanks to this support, the first confirmed casesof infection by the COVID-19 could be identifiedby several labs in the network of MediLabSecure,e.g. in Morocco, Algeria, Lebanon, NorthMacedonia and Serbia.

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Immediate re-orientation of the bio-projects - examples• MediPIET has organised in February 2020 a

specific COVID-19 module for seniorepidemiologists with the participation ofMediLabSecure.

• Interactive lectures e.g. on laboratory diagnosticof SARS-CoV-2, rapid risk assessment, riskcommunication and community engagement,exercises with different COVID-19 scenarios,presentations of national readiness plans forCOVID-19

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Re-orientation of other projects –examples:

• Project 53 - Strengthening the National LegalFramework and Provision of Specialised Trainingon Biosafety and Biosecurity in Central AsianCountries• P53 is applied for training healthcare workers from

hospitals that are used for COVID-19 treatment

• Project 73 - CBRN Protection of Criticalinfrastructure in Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon• Implementers dedicated some of the financial resources to

organize COVID-19 specific training and provide equipment

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Direct support of COVID-19 crisis management - example

• The On-site-assistance (OSA) CBRN CoE expertdeployed in the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council)region has been providing support to thenational authorities and to EUDEL Abu Dhabi(following their request)• COVID-19 information summaries

• Scenario development

• PPE stocks and PPE decontamination guidance

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Exchange of information and sharing experiences across the regions -examples• The NFP of Burkina Faso shared with his

colleagues of the NAS, AAF and ECA regions theNational Directives related to Covid-19

• The Regional Coordinator for the Middle Eastregion shared with the NFPs of NAS region theGuidance for Police and Gendarmerie Officers“How to protect yourself in Coronavirus riskyenvironments” elaborated by the InternationalSecurity and Emergency Management Institute

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Technical and scientific support -example• Experiences gained from Austria regarding the

recycling of masks were shared in a virtualworkshop hosted by the UAE

• In Austria, the first time a scientific and technicalREACH BACK cell has been established at theCBRN Defence Centre of the Austrian ArmedForces to support COVID-19 crisis management

March April May June

Covid-19 situation in Austria, June 25th 2020

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Tested: 578.584

Confirmed cases overall: 17.370

Mortality rate: 4% (693 fatalities)

Currently sick with COVID-19: 474

Sick Recovered Fatalities

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Epidemiological curve: New infections per day

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Age distribution

Age distribution of all COVID-19 positively tested people

Mortality depending on the age

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Excess mortality: No increase of mortality in Austria

https://www.euromomo.eu/graphs-and-maps#

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Intensive care units: Crucial factor for COVID-19 crisis management• In Austria: Currently 770 intensive care units available for

COVID-19 only, only 11 in use

Intensive care unit capacity used

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Reach-Back team of experts at the CBRN Defence Centre• Medical doctors (different branches),

physicists, chemists, micro-biologists, risk

managers, etc.

• Exchanging information using a specific app

• Activation of the national and internationalnetwork which includesAttending specific national and international

virtual workshops and webinars

EU CBRN CoE network

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Selecting topics with a high priority for COVID-19 management -examples

• Are community masks working?

• How long are surfaces contaminated afterexposure with the virus?

• Mechanism of transmission?

• Recommended medical treatment?

• Procedures and agents for disinfection?Considering also: interior of vehicles, nurseries,

governmental buildings including crisis managementcentres, police stations, critical infrastructure, etc.

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Example for technical support: Establishing a recycling system for used FFP-1, FFP-2 and FFP-3 masks• Establishing a process for recycling masks for the

Austrian Armed Forces and first responders

• Data in studies was not always useful: Recommended

temperature (120°C) for mask treatment destroyed the

masks

• Additional tests were needed to establish the right

procedure

• Using the equipment already existing in the Austrian

Armed Forces (decontamination units for the heat

treatment and hydrogen peroxide nebulizers)

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Aspects for recycling FFP-1/2/3 masks expecting a shortfall also in the future

• Clarification of the legal framework

• Visual inspection for screening

• Depending on the type of mask:Heat treatment 100°C for 60 minutes (30 min dry steam, 30

min hot air for drying) or hydrogen peroxideo Hydrogen peroxide treatment is followed by a drying process at

70°C

• 10 masks of each batch are tested (physicalbarrier capacities and biological tests), maskshave to fulfil European Norm EN 149

22Copyright photos: G. Povoden

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Summary• The EU CBRN CoE initiative has successfully passed the„proof of concept” showing the value of this initiative

• Projects have proved to be sustainable as the establishednetworks are working and used for managing the COVID-19 crisis at national and regional level

• The flexibility and the re-orientation of this initiative wasremarkable, thanks to the activity and motivation of allactors involved (DEVCO, JRC, UNICRI, RegionalSecretariats, NFPs, National Teams, On-site assistanceexperts and project implementers, etc.)

• The existing networks will certainly be strengthened bythese activities and will play an important role for allCBRN incidents in the future

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Thank you for your attention

Günter Povoden

OSA Expert for the EU CBRN CoE

Head of Section Chemistry, Austrian CBRN Defence Centre

g.povoden@gmx.at