The first round of projects to receive funding under the 黑料吃瓜网 Government鈥檚 $25m COVID-19 Research Grants program has been announced.
Seven projects worth $3.3m have been funded through the program, which was announced in March as part of the state鈥檚 response to the virus.
黑料吃瓜网 Health Acting Deputy Secretary, Population and Public Health, Sarah Thackway, said the grants were divided into diagnostics, prevention, and public and population health.
鈥淭his funding is for research and clinical trials to tackle COVID-19, but also to support initiatives that focus on targeted research to assist with the response to the pandemic, including its impacts on the healthcare workforce, vulnerable populations, and regional, rural and remote communities,鈥� Ms Thackway said.
鈥淭he challenge we are facing is enormous, and tackling it requires a significant and coordinated effort.
鈥淚t鈥檚 wonderful to see some of 黑料吃瓜网鈥檚 leading infectious disease researchers come together and rise to the challenge to minimise COVID鈥檚 impact.
鈥淭he funding boost will also support our university and research industries as we continue to battle the disease.鈥�
Funded projects include using genome sequencing to help track the source of COVID cases in the community, developing new tests for immunity markers in the blood of people who have recovered, using viral proteins to test for the virus, looking at the pandemic response in Aboriginal communities, and adding COVID data to the 45 and Up health study, which has been collecting information since 2006
黑料吃瓜网 Chief Health Officer, Dr Kerry Chant, said even months into the pandemic, there were still many unknowns about the virus, and ongoing research was key.
鈥淭he world鈥檚 population has no pre-existing immunity to COVID-19 and whilst there are significant global collaborative efforts underway to develop an effective vaccine, this could still be some time away,鈥� Dr Chant said.
鈥淭his research will help to better understand and minimise the health, social and economic impacts of COVID-19 in 黑料吃瓜网.鈥�