Network of Community Cohorts for Monitoring Changes in Respiratory Virus Epidemiology (Pandemic Preparedness Cohorts)

Background
At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, infrastructure for understanding the epidemiology of a rapidly evolving virus in real-time was limited. The purpose of this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is to establish a network of community-based cohorts, including diverse age groups, demographic characteristics, and regions in the US to support ongoing monitoring of changes in respiratory virus epidemiology in the years following the COVID-19 pandemic with the potential of also including in-depth immunologic studies in a limited number of sites; and to establish and sustain a case-ascertained household transmission study (or multi-site study) to monitor transmissibility of respiratory viruses and the impact of vaccination and other mitigation measures on transmission to close contacts. The combination of these networks will enhance CDC preparedness to quickly obtain data on infection risk, transmission, and effectiveness of preventive measures in response to a novel virus or variant.

Grant Details
The focus of this component is to establish and sustain a community-based cohort to monitor the incidence and burden of respiratory illness, assess for changes in respiratory virus epidemiology and clinical outcomes, assess participant knowledge, attitudes, and practices with regard to preventative measures, and assess the effectiveness of interventions such as non-pharmaceuticals, pharmaceuticals, and vaccines in preventing disease.

Primary outcomes will include annual/seasonal incidence of SARS-Cov-2, RSV, and other key respiratory viruses. Each awardee will be expected to recruit a minimum of 2000 individuals per site, ideally in households; included household and individuals should be demographically diverse.

Activities for this component should include weekly screening for symptoms of respiratory illness, self-collection of nasal swabs for symptomatic participants, multi-pathogen testing of all swabs including common respiratory viruses, genomic sequencing of a subset of samples, retention/banking of all specimens for possible supplemental testing, post-illness surveys to assess healthcare use, use of therapeutics, school absence/loss of work, symptoms, duration of symptoms and incidence of post-acute sequelae.

Eligibility Requirements
Institutions/organizations listed in Section III are eligible to apply. Individuals with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research are invited to work with their institution/organization to develop an application for support. Individuals from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups as well as individuals with disabilities are always encouraged to apply.

Period of Performance
The project period is anticipated to run from 08/01/2024 to 07/31/2029.

Grant Value
The estimated total funding available for the entire five-year project period is $95,250,000. The number of awards will be no more than nine (9), including: five (5) Component A1 awards at $2,400,000 each annually; two (2) Component A2 awards at $500,000 each annually; three (3) Component B awards at $1,600,000 each annually.

Place of Performance
Applicants should indicate clearly in the application the geographical location and catchment areas in HHS regions for each Component applying for.