Initiatives

Nordic Health Data Research Projects on COVID-19

Launched in 2020, this initiative aimed to leverage existing health data to combat the pandemic. Collaborating with partners from Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway, Iceland, Estonia, and Latvia, NordForsk allocated approximately NOK 53 million to five research projects. These projects focused on generating new knowledge to address COVID-19 and improve preparedness for future pandemics.

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Welfare Among Children and Young People in the Post-Pandemic Nordics

Recognising the significant impact of the pandemic on younger populations, NordForsk, in collaboration with the Academy of Finland and other Nordic research funders, launched a call in September 2022. This program supports interdisciplinary research on the long-term effects of COVID-19 on the welfare of children and young people, emphasizing mental health, education, and living conditions. The initiative encourages comparative studies across Nordic countries to develop concrete solutions for enhancing youth well-being and preparing for future societal crises.

COVID-19 Among Health Care Professionals in the Nordic Countries

To address the high exposure risks faced by health care professionals during the pandemic, NordForsk launched a dedicated research initiative. This project aims to examine COVID-19's impact on the safety and working conditions of health care workers across the Nordic countries. With support from the Nordic Committee of Senior Officials for Health and Social Affairs, the project uses comparative data to understand infection rates, safety measures, and work environments, ultimately guiding policies for better protection in future health crises.

Societal Security Beyond COVID-19

This NordForsk initiative examines the long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on societal security across the Nordic countries. With an available budget of NOK 45 million, projects explore issues like crisis management, public health, and community resilience, utilizing comparative data on differing Nordic responses as a “natural experiment.” The call emphasizes collaboration between researchers, policymakers, and end users to support evidence-based policies that enhance societal security in future crises.

Nordic Pandemic Resilience and Preparedness Network

The numerous pandemic interventions implemented by governments to prevent the transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus saved many lives but also placed a significant burden on society. These measures restricted daily activities, disrupted educational environments for children and youth, and limited the ability of relatives to see one another, including the elderly and frail in nursing homes at the end of their lives. This project will discuss the impact of government-introduced pandemic interventions, and whether their benefits justify their costs and harms.

Nordic Pandemic Preparedness Modelling Network

The COVID-19 pandemic brought mathematical modelling to the political forefront. From the outset, models played a key role in guiding policy decisions, providing analyses to understand transmission dynamics and disease severity, as well as short-term forecasting and scenario analysis. However, the COVID-19 pandemic also exposed the need for improved and ongoing interactions between modelling communities and policymakers, essential for ensuring operational modelling capacity during crises. FUTUREDEMICS aims to strengthen research, training, and education in pandemic and epidemic preparedness.

Nordic Health Crises University Network

The network will collaborate to improve the link between universities and policy practitioners in the field of health crises. They will conduct various activities, including workshops, writing retreats, hybrid seminars, among others, aimed at improving interdisciplinary collaboration and nurturing the connection between universities and policy practitioners in the Nordics. By strengthening this relationship, HealthCrisNet aspires to contribute to improved health crises preparedness, resilience, response and management across the Nordics.