Know-C19

Know-C19 is whole of institute initiative that brings together Burnet’s multi-disciplinary skills to tackle the complex challenges of pandemics and health emergencies caused by infectious diseases. This includes generating and translating knowledge to respond to the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, including long COVID. Know-C19 identifies emerging health threats and solutions to better prevent, prepare and respond to pandemics. 

The COVID-19 pandemic is one of the greatest global challenges in human history. It has had a profound effect on the health and wellbeing of communities, the economy and society, exacerbating inequities within and between countries.  

During the emergency phase, Burnet played a major role in the Australian and global response, with a focus on the Asia-Pacific region. We did this through collaboration with communities, research and public health partners and governments to create and translation knowledge into solutions and support community-centric responses. 

Key strategies included providing evidence-based strategic advice through modelling, intelligence and evidence synthesis and our own research, through the Know-C19 Knowledge Hub. We supported responses on the ground through technical assistance, laboratory strengthening, training and capacity building, supporting essential services and partnerships with communities.  

Our current focus includes knowledge generation and research translation to:  

• identify, understand and respond to emerging infectious diseases threats and health emergencies 
• inform Australian and global policy on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response 
• develop and implement evidence-based solutions for clean indoor air, as a vital passive prevention and risk reduction strategy for airborne pathogens and pollutants 
• understand and find a treatment for long COVID. 

We continue to work in collaborative partnerships to solve these complex challenges with a focus on addressing inequities, applying multi-disciplinary technical skills through a ‘one health’ approach and strengthening systems.

Clean indoor air

A standout lesson from COVID-19 was the knowledge gained, and paradigm shift around the airborne transmission of pathogens, and how to effectively respond. Undoing the “droplet dogma”—that SARS-CoV-2, and many other pathogens predominantly transmit through the air—has been a huge leap in science and public health policy. 
 
As a result of this knowledge gain, there is rationale for wider deployment of interventions to prevent airborne pathogens spread in indoor environments, where transmission occurs. A future with clean indoor air will be a major advance in addressing current airborne pathogens and pollutants and puts us in a better position to preventing the next pandemic.  

Despite the evidence these interventions work in laboratory settings, there has been limited implementation outside health care settings or policy adoption. Burnet Institute, in collaboration with partners (University of Melbourne, Monash, QUT, CSIRO and Amazon Web Services) is implementing two clean indoor air research projects, supported by the Victorian government to address the knowledge and implementation gaps. 

The Pathway to Clean Indoor Air project will generate optimised and scalable IAQ models, an investment case and policy and guidance. The ELUCIDAR study will provide evidence on the real-world effectiveness of upper room germicidal UV in reducing COVID-19 in aged care facilities. These studies will inform the scale-up of interventions to reduce the indoor impact of airborne pollutants and pathogens and enhance our preparedness for future airborne pandemics.

Learn more about clean indoor air.