Introduction
To avoid duplication of work, we believe it is highly relevant to be aware of other international activities and expert groups already in place that exchange information on measures related to COVID-19 that require rapid actions. In this regard, we wish to organize once per trimester a Rapid Exchange Forum (REF) – Special Edition, where key guests of international organisations in the COVID-19 field can layout their main activities, boards/expert groups and map the different COVID-19 activities performed by their organisations.
The goal of the Special Edition of REF is to shed some light on the international activities and expert groups that are already in place or that have been set up during the pandemic to exchange information on measures related to COVID-19 and that require rapid action.
Rapid Exchange Forum - Special Edition - One Pager
First meeting - 15th of February, 2021
The guest speakers for the first Special Edition of the REF are:
- Eurostat – Giampaolo Lanzieri
- Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) – Gaetan Lafortune
- European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) – Howard Needham
- European observatory on health systems and policies (OBS) – Marina Karanikolos
Minutes of the event with presentations.
Second meeting - 26th of April, 2021
The guest speakers for the second Special Edition of the REF are:
- The European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies – Marina Karanikolos
- Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development – Emily Hewlett
- World Health Organisation – Boris Pavlin
Minutes of the event with presentations.
Third meeting - 8th of November, 2021
The guest speakers for the third Special Edition of the REF are:
- World Health Organistion Regional Office for Europe – David Novillo Ortiz
- European Medicines Agency – Rosa Gonzalez-Quevedo
- Vaccination Task Force Portugal – Admiral Henrique Gouveia e Melo
Minutes of the event with presentations.
Fourth meeting - 28th of March, 2022
The guest speakers for the fourth Special Edition of the REF are:
- European Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA) - Christian Wimmer
- European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) – Marie Heloury & Ettore Severi
- Directorate General Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE) – Federico Pratellesi
- Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) – Gaetan Lafortune
- European observatory on health systems and policies (OBS) - Matthias Wismar
Minutes of the event with presentations.
Fifth meeting - 27th of February, 2023
The guest speakers for the fifth Special Edition of the REF are:
- PHIRI: COVID-19 health information system assessments - Miriam Saso, Sciensano
- TEHDAS: Countries’ readiness to join the European health data space (EHDS) - Linda Abboud, Sciensano
- EU HIP: Interoperability with the upcoming HERA IT Platform - Shona Cosgrove, Sciensano
- ECDC: Public health surveillance in a pandemic, how to prepare - Bruno Ciancio, ECDC
