Australian database unifies global COVID-19 research for future pandemic preparedness

SYDNEY, June 25 (Xinhua) -- A new database developed by Australian researchers is offering new hope for tackling future pandemics by consolidating the world's COVID-19 knowledge into a single, comprehensive resource.

The database systematically organizes insights from over 800,000 coronavirus research articles published since 2002, providing an invaluable tool for scientists, policymakers, and health experts seeking to understand the long-term effects of COVID-19 and prepare for emerging health threats, according to a release from Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne published on Science Media Exchange website on Tuesday.

The project's lessons and methods can be applied to challenges like seasonal flu, emerging diseases, and other major public health issues, said the study's lead author Amir Aryani, head of Swinburne's Social Data Analytics Lab.

Aryani said that despite a desire to move past COVID-19, it remains essential to learn from and apply recent research findings.

The Swinburne team's data pipeline organizes global research into key themes, such as vaccine development, mental health, economic impacts and public health strategies, and according to Aryani, can be adapted to quickly process scientific information in real time to support rapid decision-making during future crises.

The technology's analytical approach can also address issues like climate change and other health conditions, helping drive more proactive, evidence-based responses to future challenges, said the study detailed in a recent Nature publication. ■