Comprehensive evaluation of how Norwegian physicians and laboratories were notifying infectious diseases during the COVID-19 crisis, since everyone focused on the new disease.
Notification of infectious diseases in Norway during COVID-19
In March 2020, the Norwegian authorities observed that the COVID-19 epidemic changed the way how people use healthcare services, and laboratories limited testing for other pathogens. Together with a small team, we monitored how communicable disease surveillance funcioned during the largest public health crisis of our times. Within this project, we published 17 periodic reports (first biweekly, and later monthly, https://www.fhi.no/publ/2020/covid-19-msis/), which summarised notifications of communicable diseases. Additionally, we surveyed diagnostic laboratories and reporting physicians for their experience with disease notification during the COVID-19 crisis.
Why does it matter?
Communicable disease surveillance is the "eyes and ears" of public health institutions and policymakers, who can react to signals and trends. If we use all resources for one infectious disease (like COVID-19), we may miss other important health problems. Therefore, we need a well functioning surveillance even during a crisis situation.
Related to
Reports prepared for the Norwegian Institute of Public Health:
Report from the survey of Norwegian diagnostic laboratories.
Report from a survey of reporting physicians on their notification practices.