What are our epidemiologists doing behind the scenes during the coronavirus pandemic?

Dr Hannah Moore

The race is on – scientists at medical research institutes around the world are working 24 hours a day to develop a vaccine and prevent the spread of coronavirus. Right here in Perth, Western Australia, we have world-leading experts on the case, but there is still a lot we need to learn about COVID-19 before new vaccines or treatments can be safely given to the community.

At the Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, based at Telethon Kids Institute, there are epidemiologists, microbiologists and clinical researchers all playing a vital role in the fight against the virus.

Read on for part one of this three-part series and hear what our epidemiologists are doing to help during this global pandemic.

The Epidemiologists

Epidemiologists are the scientists who study outbreaks of disease, examining data and looking for patterns to learn more about the causes, characteristics of disease, and what communities can do to minimise the spread.

Dr Hannah Moore, Co-Head of the Infectious Diseases Epidemiology team at the Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, says epidemiology is instrumental in guiding strategies to improve public health and prevent future outbreaks of this and other diseases.

“During a pandemic like COVID-19, we rely on the power of numbers to steer us,” says Dr Moore.

“There is a lot of importance placed on flattening the curve, which means slowing down the number of people getting sick at the same time, as this would put too much pressure on the hospitals.

“While the public health department is gathering vital information on the number of COVID-19 cases, including where people are from and who they were in recent contact with, we are designing studies to take a deeper look at the clinical aspects of the disease and how the infection is passed from person to person.

“This helps us learn a whole range of things, such as how seriously the disease affects children versus the elderly, how the disease is spread around families and other close contacts, and also how this disease may change the characteristics of other common respiratory infections, like influenza.

“Our team is leading a study to measure how COVID-19 is passed to family members, called a household transmission study, to better understand who gets infected and who doesn’t.

“This information will help to provide recommendations to government departments and decision-makers during a crisis such as this. We can guide methods on how to slow down transmission and help develop vaccination programs so that when a vaccine becomes available, it can be given to those who need it most,” says Dr Moore.

Playing a vital part in the Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases’ research efforts during this once-in-a-lifetime pandemic is proving to be a very interesting and impactful experience for this busy mum of three. 

“Being an epidemiologist at a time like this makes me feel proud to be part of a team where we can use our knowledge and expertise to fight this disease,” concludes Dr Moore.

Please visit the Wesfarmers Centre of Vaccines and Infectious Diseases website for more information about the work of the Centre’s infectious disease researchers or to access additional COVID-19 resources for your family.

Read more

What role do our microbiologists play during the coronavirus pandemic?

How will our clinical trial researchers help evaluate a potential coronavirus vaccine?