COVID-19

The research and development community across Scotland played a critical role in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic

The Chief Scientist Office (CSO) of Scottish Government, NHS Research Scotland and Health Board R&D Offices, worked closely and in collaboration with equivalents across the UK nations, to enable and deliver research into COVID-19. Through this we helped to  

• Find new treatments for COVID-19 
• Develop vaccines and prevention 
• Inform policy and decision-making 
• Evaluate tests and diagnostics 
• Support the global response to the pandemic 

In Scotland, across the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) official pandemic timeline (11 March 2020 – 5 May 2023)

• 53,000 participants took part in 201 COVID-19 research studies; with 28,400 participating in over 38 urgent public health (UPH) COVID-19 research studies; and 24,600 in 163 other COVID-19 research studies
• The Office for National Statistics Coronavirus (COVID-19) Infection Survey, a UK-wide survey, had 42,300 participants in Scotland
• REACT-2, a UK wide coronavirus antibody study, had 79,996 participants in Scotland
• All data correct as of 10 July 2023

Public health research into COVID-19 continues.