Title: Clinical Characterisation of COVID-19 admitted to hospitals in the United Kingdom
Funder: Department of Health and Social Care

Abstract: The evolving epidemic of a novel coronavirus from China, designated SARS-CoV-2, and causing disease designated as COVID-19, has the potential to establish transmission in the UK population. The recent jump to humans has resulted in a biologically fit pathogen capable of human-to-human droplet transmission from an early prodromal stage of infection. The population is immunologically na&iuml;ve allowing an estimated reproductive number (or R0) between 1.5 and 2. Previous outbreaks of novel respiratory viruses of epidemic/pandemic potential typically had disproportionate effects on different members of society, such as the elderly and those with co-morbid disease. Looking in more detail, the recent examples of SARS, MERS and H1N1 influenza have had important differences in propensities towards disease in certain at-risk sub-populations. For example, the H1N1pdm2009 influenza virus had the potential to cause severe disease particularly in late stages of pregnancy, whereas asthmatic exacerbations resulting from the same virus less commonly resulted in ventilation and death. With the current threat of COVID19 there is an urgent need to establish a national clinical database that hosted relevant data from confirmed cases across the country. This will enable detailed characterisation of COVID-19 in our health care system, risk factors associated with hospitalisation, higher levels of care and death. Real-time (or on demand) analyses of an evolving disease outbreak will be used to support an evidence-based decision process for public health measures intended to protect the UK population. These data would also help with our understanding of the potential benefit of any new therapeutic or vaccine developments that are under accelerated development. We have already prepared 137 sites in England and captured information from the earliest COVID-19 patients. Supporting this proposal will allow capture of data from 1000 patients in the first wave of COVID-19 (imminent), and 1000 from the likely second wave (winter 20/21), using Local Clinical Research Network nurses, supported by our team. We will then be able to provide real-time analyses of COVID-19 in the UK, to support evidence-based public health measures, the impact of interventions, and the potential benefit of any new therapeutics or vaccines under accelerated development.

Lay abstract: The evolving epidemic of a novel coronavirus from China, designated SARS-CoV-2, and causing disease designated as COVID-19, has the potential to establish transmission in the UK population. The recent jump to humans has resulted in a biologically fit pathogen capable of human-to-human droplet transmission from an early prodromal stage of infection. The population is immunologically na&iuml;ve allowing an estimated reproductive number (or R0) between 1.5 and 2. Previous outbreaks of novel respiratory viruses of epidemic/pandemic potential typically had disproportionate effects on different members of society, such as the elderly and those with co-morbid disease. Looking in more detail, the recent examples of SARS, MERS and H1N1 influenza have had important differences in propensities towards disease in certain at-risk sub-populations. For example, the H1N1pdm2009 influenza virus had the potential to cause severe disease particularly in late stages of pregnancy, whereas asthmatic exacerbations resulting from the same virus less commonly resulted in ventilation and death. With the current threat of COVID19 there is an urgent need to establish a national clinical database that hosted relevant data from confirmed cases across the country. This will enable detailed characterisation of COVID-19 in our health care system, risk factors associated with hospitalisation, higher levels of care and death. Real-time (or on demand) analyses of an evolving disease outbreak will be used to support an evidence-based decision process for public health measures intended to protect the UK population. These data would also help with our understanding of the potential benefit of any new therapeutic or vaccine developments that are under accelerated development. We have already prepared 137 sites in England and captured information from the earliest COVID-19 patients. Supporting this proposal will allow capture of data from 1000 patients in the first wave of COVID-19 (imminent), and 1000 from the likely second wave (winter 20/21), using Local Clinical Research Network nurses, supported by our team. We will then be able to provide real-time analyses of COVID-19 in the UK, to support evidence-based public health measures, the impact of interventions, and the potential benefit of any new therapeutics or vaccines under accelerated development.

Research activity codes: 2.6 RESOURCES AND INFRASTRUCTURE (AETIOLOGY)
Health categories: INFECTION