CIHR – Operating Grant: Canadian Pediatric (Hospital) COVID Vaccination Platform competition
Governance and Public Policy
Well-being, Health and Biomedical Discovery
Deadlines
Academic Unit: inquire with unit
Memorial Deadline: Wednesday 9th, February 2022
External Deadline: Monday 14th, February 2022
Description
PRE-ANNOUNCEMENT
Notice of upcoming COVID-19 research funding opportunity
CIHR would like to provide information to the research community on an upcoming rapid funding opportunity that is part of the Government of Canada’s continued response to address the health challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Operating Grant: Canadian Pediatric (Hospital) COVID Vaccination Platform competition will launch the week of January 24, 2022.
We are providing preliminary information at this time to allow the research community to prepare and respond to an expedited process.
Canadian Pediatric (Hospital) COVID Vaccination Platform
The SARS-Co-V2 (COVID-19) pandemic has had dramatic effects on children and families in Canada. School closures, parental work from home measures, virtual classroom learning and the effects of COVID-19 infections in children (e.g., myocarditis, multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children [MIS-C], post-COVID condition, etc.) have all taken their toll on the health, wellness and social development of children in Canada. The development of vaccines and their widespread use in Canada has resulted in optimism that the return to normal (or near normal) life for families is within reach.
Despite this remarkable and global scientific collaboration, vaccination has not been without problems. For example, vaccine-inducted thrombocytopenia and thrombosis (VITT) associated with viral vector vaccinations emerged following real-world surveillance, and iteratively changed eligibility and guidelines. In addition, myocarditis in youth (up to 30 years of age) associated with the second dose of mRNA vaccines (in boys more than girls) has caused parental concerns, raised safety questions, and resulted in vaccine hesitancy. Finally, vaccine hesitancy is placing children at additional risk for contracting COVID infections and limiting the ability to reach the herd immunity required to relax strict public health measures, improve school attendance, and reopen the economy.
Given the evolving nature of the pandemic and the genetic mutations creating new variants of concern (VOC), there is an ongoing need for continued support of research and surveillance activities in all youth age groups. The recent start of the vaccination program for children aged 5-11, the possible future vaccination of younger children under the age of 5, and the emergence of the Omicron variant have all reminded us of the importance of focused research efforts in children and youth.
While pediatric projects have been supported by the Government of Canada, investments to support a coordinated system to monitor the health and wellness of children and youth is lacking as it relates to COVID infection and vaccination. This funding opportunity is intended to support a Canadian Pediatric (Hospital) COVID Vaccination Platform that will form the Collaboration Centre in close collaboration with the 13 Collaborating Sites in the pediatric hospitals from coast to coast in Canada. The Collaboration Centre will enable data management activities such as standardizing data collection, providing a cloud-based data management system, data analysis, and data sharing. It will also be the primary knowledge mobilization driver for the platform, in collaboration with the Collaborating Sites. These Collaborating Sites will be responsible for in-house collaboration, prospective and retrospective data collection, data cleaning, data transfer, and other related activities associated with specific platform studies. In addition, specific Collaborating Sites will assume leadership roles in areas germane to their regional programs (e.g., clinical trials, Indigenous health research, equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI), data management, etc.).
Preliminary application details
Application requirements for the application process will be outlined in the Funding Opportunity details to come.
Expected key dates
Launch of funding opportunity: Week of January 24, 2022
Application deadline: Week of February 14, 2022
Anticipated notice of decision: Week of March 7, 2022
Funding start date: March 1, 2022
For more information:
https://suivi.lnk01.com/c/443/7f8af0eece32e297bd99fd9b9018a59c4acc4077e52ad961b4e36e3ca72c4fae