The COVID-19 pandemic : public health responses in sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

The World Health Organisation declared the ongoing COVID-19 global health challenge a pandemic in March 2020. Since then, countries across the globe have implemented different public health control strategies—including global vaccination programs—in attempts to mitigate the further transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. However, to date, the virus has continued to spread rapidly despite these interventions. Countries across sub-Saharan Africa have implemented variable control strategies to combat the pandemic; however, despite the continent being among the least affected in terms of direct case burden, morbidity, and mortality, it has experienced marked socioeconomic disruption. Therefore, economic resuscitation is an urgent priority. The continent is vastly underrepresented in the body of scientific evidence due to limited research resources, testing capacity and genomic surveillance leading to empirical responses or responses guided by evidence from elsewhere. To inform the ongoing pandemic, and to prepare for the future, this Special Issue calls for manuscripts on global COVID-19 responses, and encourages researchers and stakeholders from resource-limited settings, particularly from sub-Saharan Africa, to share their COVID-19 public health responses. Areas to be covered include, but are not limited to, surveillance, case management, infection prevention and control, risk communication and community engagement, logistics, laboratory, ports of entry, and co-ordination. Manuscripts including primary research, viewpoints/perspectives, and comprehensive literature reviews are all welcome.