Improving pandemic preparedness by reflecting on experiences in the COVID-19 pandemic from different perspectives

Respiratory virus pandemics occur at unpredictable intervals. At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, stringent public health and social measures (PHSMs) were implemented to control transmission and prevent high levels of morbidity and mortality. The development of effective vaccines and antiviral drugs allowed a gradual relaxation of non-pharmaceutical measures in most parts of the world in 2021 and 2022, with China’s transition to “living with the virus” in December 2022 being one of the final locations to end COVID restrictions. It is important to recognize that the consequences of the pandemic far exceed the impact on physical health, and also include social and economic harms that may take many years to recover from.

The project proposes a series of complementary research activities in four areas to identify efficient approaches to mitigate the socio-economic-mental health impact of future pandemics while at the same time controlling the threat posed to public health by infections. Hong Kong provides a unique opportunity as an important social laboratory for this work, given the implementation of strong measures for an extended period as well as the continual challenge of introduced infections due to the city’s global nature.

The overarching aim is to provide evidence that can improve global pandemic preparedness, as well as provide an evidence base for future policy recommendations in Hong Kong and elsewhere. While a future pandemic could have different characteristics and therefore potentially require a different set of control measures, the project team aims to identify common principles and best practices that can be integrated into pandemic planning to guide public policy decisions in future pandemics.