Projects
The Alliance is carrying out projects and initiatives under five critical functions:
Risk assessment and vulnerability mapping
Proof of Concept Research in Peru: As the ongoing Zika virus epidemic demonstrates, emerging infectious diseases represent an ongoing threat to global population health. By developing mapping tools to characterize the epidemic potential of viruses transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito (e.g., dengue and Zika virus) at a subnational level in Peru, Alliance researchers aim to test the hypothesis that vulnerability mapping is feasible and yields valid results that are useful to improve community resiliency and preparedness. More
Biomedical innovation
United World Antiviral Research Network (UWARN): UWARN will address emerging viral infectious diseases by carrying out research with collaborating partner research laboratories in Brazil, Pakistan, Senegal, South Africa and Taiwan. The research will develop innovative diagnostic reagents, including human viral-neutralizing antibodies and designed proteins that release light when antibodies to virus are present in blood. More
Communication
COVID-19 Literature Situation Report: This daily newsletter that provides a succinct summary of the latest scientific literature related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Each day, there is a firehose of new scientific information emerging about COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2. This initiative is an attempt to focus that hose to highlight new findings that are most relevant to the public health response. More
Public Service Announcement with The Green Sports Alliance: Aimed at sports communities, a PSA was developed in partnership with APP, with reminders to help stop the spread of COVID-19. The announcement was disseminated widely among sports networks in Washington state. More.
Policy & behavioral interventions
Survey of Mask Usage in Washington State: With a goal of helping Washington state health officials address problem areas with targeted persuasion and educational campaigns on mask usage, researchers at UW are conducting the first systematic survey of mask usage in the state. Starting in Dec. 2020 in King County, the study aims to identify the types of public settings where inconsistent mask-wearing could be contributing to the ongoing explosion of cases. They also want to find out which groups of people, by age and gender, are more or less likely to take the mask mandate seriously. More.