Commentary: mobile laboratories for SARS-CoV-2 diagnostics: what Europe could learn from the East African Community to assure trade in times of border closures
Abstract Background The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 mutants might lead to European border closures, which impact on trade and result in serious economic losses. In April 2020, similar border closures were observed during the first SARS-CoV-2 wave in East Africa. Main body Since 2017 the East African Com...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2021-04-01
|
| Series: | Globalization and Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12992-021-00700-9 |
| _version_ | 1818720554935386112 |
|---|---|
| author | Florian Gehre Hakim Lagu Emmanuel Achol Michael Katende Jürgen May Muna Affara |
| author_facet | Florian Gehre Hakim Lagu Emmanuel Achol Michael Katende Jürgen May Muna Affara |
| author_sort | Florian Gehre |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 mutants might lead to European border closures, which impact on trade and result in serious economic losses. In April 2020, similar border closures were observed during the first SARS-CoV-2 wave in East Africa. Main body Since 2017 the East African Community EAC together with the Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for Tropical Medicine BNITM established a mobile laboratory network integrated into the National Public Health Laboratories of the six Partner States for molecular diagnosis of viral haemorrhagic fevers and SARS-CoV-2. Since May 2020, the National Public Health Laboratories of Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda and South Sudan deployed these mobile laboratories to their respective borders, issuing a newly developed “Electronic EAC COVID-19 Digital Certificate” to SARS-CoV-2 PCR-negative truck drivers, thus assuring regional trade. Conclusion Considering the large financial damages of border closures, such a mobile laboratory network as demonstrated in East Africa is cost-effective, easy to implement and feasible. The East African Community mobile laboratory network could serve as a blueprint for Europe and other countries around the globe. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-17T20:24:41Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bbd4bab75d1848069abf2e788c119528 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1744-8603 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-17T20:24:41Z |
| publishDate | 2021-04-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Globalization and Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-bbd4bab75d1848069abf2e788c1195282022-12-21T21:33:50ZengBMCGlobalization and Health1744-86032021-04-011711510.1186/s12992-021-00700-9Commentary: mobile laboratories for SARS-CoV-2 diagnostics: what Europe could learn from the East African Community to assure trade in times of border closuresFlorian Gehre0Hakim Lagu1Emmanuel Achol2Michael Katende3Jürgen May4Muna Affara5Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for Tropical MedicineEast African Community Secretariat, Health DepartmentEast African Community Secretariat, Health DepartmentEast African Community Secretariat, Health DepartmentDepartment of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for Tropical MedicineDepartment of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for Tropical MedicineAbstract Background The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 mutants might lead to European border closures, which impact on trade and result in serious economic losses. In April 2020, similar border closures were observed during the first SARS-CoV-2 wave in East Africa. Main body Since 2017 the East African Community EAC together with the Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for Tropical Medicine BNITM established a mobile laboratory network integrated into the National Public Health Laboratories of the six Partner States for molecular diagnosis of viral haemorrhagic fevers and SARS-CoV-2. Since May 2020, the National Public Health Laboratories of Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda and South Sudan deployed these mobile laboratories to their respective borders, issuing a newly developed “Electronic EAC COVID-19 Digital Certificate” to SARS-CoV-2 PCR-negative truck drivers, thus assuring regional trade. Conclusion Considering the large financial damages of border closures, such a mobile laboratory network as demonstrated in East Africa is cost-effective, easy to implement and feasible. The East African Community mobile laboratory network could serve as a blueprint for Europe and other countries around the globe.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12992-021-00700-9SARS-CoV-2 diagnosticsCOVID-19PandemicBorder closuresMobile laboratoriesBSL4 |
| spellingShingle | Florian Gehre Hakim Lagu Emmanuel Achol Michael Katende Jürgen May Muna Affara Commentary: mobile laboratories for SARS-CoV-2 diagnostics: what Europe could learn from the East African Community to assure trade in times of border closures Globalization and Health SARS-CoV-2 diagnostics COVID-19 Pandemic Border closures Mobile laboratories BSL4 |
| title | Commentary: mobile laboratories for SARS-CoV-2 diagnostics: what Europe could learn from the East African Community to assure trade in times of border closures |
| title_full | Commentary: mobile laboratories for SARS-CoV-2 diagnostics: what Europe could learn from the East African Community to assure trade in times of border closures |
| title_fullStr | Commentary: mobile laboratories for SARS-CoV-2 diagnostics: what Europe could learn from the East African Community to assure trade in times of border closures |
| title_full_unstemmed | Commentary: mobile laboratories for SARS-CoV-2 diagnostics: what Europe could learn from the East African Community to assure trade in times of border closures |
| title_short | Commentary: mobile laboratories for SARS-CoV-2 diagnostics: what Europe could learn from the East African Community to assure trade in times of border closures |
| title_sort | commentary mobile laboratories for sars cov 2 diagnostics what europe could learn from the east african community to assure trade in times of border closures |
| topic | SARS-CoV-2 diagnostics COVID-19 Pandemic Border closures Mobile laboratories BSL4 |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12992-021-00700-9 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT floriangehre commentarymobilelaboratoriesforsarscov2diagnosticswhateuropecouldlearnfromtheeastafricancommunitytoassuretradeintimesofborderclosures AT hakimlagu commentarymobilelaboratoriesforsarscov2diagnosticswhateuropecouldlearnfromtheeastafricancommunitytoassuretradeintimesofborderclosures AT emmanuelachol commentarymobilelaboratoriesforsarscov2diagnosticswhateuropecouldlearnfromtheeastafricancommunitytoassuretradeintimesofborderclosures AT michaelkatende commentarymobilelaboratoriesforsarscov2diagnosticswhateuropecouldlearnfromtheeastafricancommunitytoassuretradeintimesofborderclosures AT jurgenmay commentarymobilelaboratoriesforsarscov2diagnosticswhateuropecouldlearnfromtheeastafricancommunitytoassuretradeintimesofborderclosures AT munaaffara commentarymobilelaboratoriesforsarscov2diagnosticswhateuropecouldlearnfromtheeastafricancommunitytoassuretradeintimesofborderclosures |