Horizon scans for emerging issues

Horizon scan documents can be accessed below and are shared through many COVID-END partners. If you want to receive an email containing hyperlinks to our global spotlights, subscribe here.

COVID-END regularly convenes a global panel to proactively identify long-term, recurring and emergent issues that need to be prioritized in efforts to synthesize the best available research evidence to support decision-making about COVID-19. Their deliberations are informed by a pre-circulated briefing note and captured in a panel summary.

The panelists comprise a mix of strategic and ‘out-of-the-box’ thinkers and doers who collectively bring diverse perspectives to our horizon-scanning work, including:

1. a mix of citizens, service providers, policymakers and researchers
2. experience with one or more of public-health measures, clinical management of COVID-19 and pandemic-related conditions like mental-health issues, health-system arrangements, and economic and social responses (e.g., education and food security)
3. being based in different regions (e.g., Americas, eastern Mediterranean, Europe, south-east Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, and western Pacific)
4. being based in a country or region where one or more of six languages is widely spoken (i.e., Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Portuguese or Spanish) while being able to read and either speak or write (even at a basic level) in English

The global panel was convened regularly during 2020 and 2021. As the pandemic and pandemic response evolved, starting in 2022, we have replaced the global horizon-scanning initiative with a version that allows for more ad hoc engagement of panelists. We have transitioned to an agile version of the Canadian horizon-scanning initiative that reduces the frequency of regular meetings but allows for more ad hoc engagement between meetings. We are complementing our COVID-focused horizon scanning with more broad-based horizon scanning about building a better evidence-support system for future pandemics, health emergencies, and health challenges more generally (through the Global Commission on Evidence to Address Societal Challenges).