New research investments in the transmission of respiratory infectious diseases

From: Public Health Agency of Canada

News release

October 25, 2024 | Ottawa, Ontario | Public Health Agency of Canada

Understanding how different respiratory infectious diseases, like COVID-19, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), spread in our environment is important to help prevent serious negative health outcomes. Further research into how these diseases are transmitted and prevented can help inform public health measures that are timely and effective in reducing the impacts of respiratory illness on individuals and the health system.

Today, the Honourable Mark Holland, Minister of Health, announced research grants for four organizations through the Public Health Agency of Canada’s Transmission Dynamics of Respiratory Infectious Diseases Research Funding Opportunity. Queen’s University, Carleton University, the Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion, and the University of Waterloo will receive funding to work on individual projects investigating the transmission dynamics of respiratory infectious diseases.

These projects will help expand our understanding of respiratory infectious diseases and inform advice for people in Canada on effective measures to prevent their spread. This information will also help prepare for future pandemic planning and response, helping people in Canada prepare for respiratory outbreaks and take the steps needed to keep themselves and others healthy. 

Quotes

“We have all seen how rapidly viruses like COVID-19 spread during outbreaks. As we plan for the future, it is important that we have the latest evidence-based knowledge to help prevent future outbreaks. The projects announced today will help close existing knowledge gaps and identify areas where we can continue to improve to provide even better health support for people in Canada.”  

The Honourable Mark Holland
Minister of Health 

Quick facts

  • Research grants totalling $752,000 are being awarded to Queen’s University, Carleton University, the Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion, and the University of Waterloo through this round of funding. 

  • The Queen’s University project aims to better understand seasonal transmission of RSV and duration of infectiousness in different age groups using information collected during the 2018-2025 respiratory virus seasons.

  • Carleton University will partner with the Bruyère Research Institute to gather and evaluate information on indoor air quality and the spread of respiratory infectious diseases in long term care facilities, focusing on long term care sites in Ottawa.

  • The Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion project will help expand understanding of how long individuals remain infectious with various respiratory infectious diseases by exploring the duration of viral shedding for eight viral respiratory pathogens. Differences in shedding by age, sex, gender and other important factors will also be examined. 

  • The University of Waterloo project will examine how various public health and environmental measures focused on younger school-aged children may impact the spread of respiratory infectious diseases and hospitalizations in the overall population of Ontario.

Associated links

Contacts

Matthew Kronberg
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Mark Holland
Minister of Health
343-552-5654

Media Relations
Public Health Agency of Canada
613-957-2983 
media@hc-sc.gc.ca

Public Inquiries:
613-957-2991
1-866-225-0709

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