The COVID-19 pandemic has shown heterogeneity in different parts of the world. Some countries, including Peru, South Africa, Brazil and India, suffered from very deadly epidemics, while other parts of Latin America, Asia and Africa contained the COVID-19 epidemic well.

Nevertheless, there has been a lot of “collateral damage” on the health and education system, as well as on the economy, but with a very different impact in low- and middle-income versus high-income regions. It remains a challenge to understand this heterogeneity, because for many countries, good quality data were lacking. However, heterogeneity also relates to the very inequitable distribution of diagnostic capabilities, treatment options and access to vaccines.

Our ITM Colloquium gathers our partner institutions of the DGD Framework programme, our students, staff and alumni, as well as invited researchers. Together we will share expertise and knowledge, discuss the evidence and try to interpret the various courses of the epidemics. We will also zoom in on the effect of different containments policies, the access and implementation of diagnostics, therapy and vaccines as well as the direct and indirect effects of COVID-19 on the health systems and societies. 

This edition of the ITM Colloquium will contain five sessions. Each will focus on different aspects of the pandemic:

• Session 1: COVID-19 in Africa
• Session 2: COVID-19 in Latin America
• Session 3: COVID-19 in Eurasia
• Session 4: Pandemic data management, sharing and translation
• Session 5: COVID-19 diagnostics, vaccines and medicines

We aim to involve young researchers by short presentations, but we also want to engage the entire audience, including students and alumni, by exchanging experiences and visions from our partners in panel discussions.  

A more detailed programme will follow soon. Stay tuned!