April 2, 2025
Doherty Institute researchers have launched a survey to gather crucial insights from the Victorian community, aiming to enhance preparedness for future pandemics.
The survey explores public awareness of rapid response outbreak research and seeks to understand community attitudes toward participating in this type of research during an infectious disease emergency.
Study co-leads Dr Adrian Marcato and Dr Juan Pablo Villanueva-Cabezas are infectious disease epidemiologists at the Doherty Institute and University of Melbourne. They both played a key role in COVID-19 household transmission studies in Australia and globally, in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO).
Dr Marcato said the survey will help to strengthen our preparedness for future pandemics and is crucial to maintain momentum as we’ve passed the 5-year anniversary of the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“In addition to the logistical, ethical, and data management challenges we have previously reported, understanding community needs is essential for an effective early response,” Dr. Marcato said.
“Household transmission studies conducted at the start of an outbreak provide vital insights into the severity and transmissibility of an infection, helping to generate evidence to inform public health measures.”
The survey will also examine the role of animals in disease outbreaks – an aspect not adequately addressed during COVID-19 but now prioritized by the WHO for future preparedness and response efforts.
Dr Villanueva-Cabezas is a specialist in One Health epidemiology— an approach that emphasizes the importance of understanding the factors that facilitate connections and disease transmission between humans and animals in their shared ecosystem.
“The interface among humans, companion animals, and peri-domestic animal populations has not been adequately integrated into pandemic planning,” he said.
“The survey will give us a clearer understanding of how participants interact with their companion animals, enhancing our insight into strategies for mitigating infectious disease risks in these One Health communities.”
“We now know that during COVID-19, companion dogs and cats were infected with SARS-CoV-2 by their owners, and at least one human outbreak was traced to pet hamsters. More recently, pet cats and dogs have contracted avian influenza H5N1 following outbreaks in peri-domestic animal populations.”
Dr Marcato said that engaging with and understanding diverse community needs before a crisis strengthens public health responses.
“Diverse experiences and perspectives will enhance our research, and we’re eager to hear from people across many communities, including First Nations communities, and culturally and linguistically diverse groups.”
Victorians who want to contribute to protecting their communities in future pandemics are encouraged to participate in the survey.