ABSTRACT
COVID-19 health-related global urgency has witnessed a substantive impact on research and innovation activities. The uncertain situations have completed the governments and higher education institutions to change and adjust their work environment, but it also affected the research, teaching, and innovation development activities in Higher Education Institutions (HEI). The pandemic situation has posed few challenges and provided ample opportunities to reflect on the way the usual business is being conducted. It provides interesting experiences and novel mechanisms to adopt suitable mechanisms to adjust to the new normal and a few lessons learned to be better equipped to face such realities in the future. This paper aims to share the experience of one such situation in a pandemic as how the challenges and responses faced in one such situation at the institutional level during the pandemic and deliberated some interesting lessons learned to further formulate the strategic response to carry out planned innovation activities. The lessons learned are insightful for future practices to support in the areas of social innovation, technology transfer, and entrepreneurship activities. The reflective account of case study responses collected from faculty and students' insights provides rich and diverse experiences that contextualize the achievements and mitigating effects. Furthermore, witnessing awareness, marketing, knowledge transfer, dissemination, and commercialization of innovation activities conducted during these testing times. The shared experiences are summarized in detail and diverse backgrounds are upheaved at the Technology Transfer Office (TTO) of the case study. The lessons learned in adjusting to the new remote learning environment provide an interesting account of innovation activities. The findings suggest that a strong, focused approach with a professional commitment to the strategic direction of the institution makes relative success in achieving the objectives of the commercial office. The efficient management of commercial 0perations during and after COVID-19 to witness the real-time collaboration between researchers across the globe. The findings may be taken in careful application in other similar situations.
Subject(s)
COVID-19ABSTRACT
Objectives This study aims to estimate the prevalence and longevity of detectable SARS-CoV-2 antibodies as well as memory cells T and B after recovery. In addition, the prevalence of COVID-19 reinfection, and the preventive efficacy of previous infection with SARS-CoV-2 were investigated. Methods and analyses A synthesis of existing research was conducted. The Cochrane Library for COVID-19 resources, the China Academic Journals Full Text Database, PubMed, and Scopus as well as preprint servers were searched for studies conducted between 1 January 2020 to 1 April 2021. We included studies with the relevant outcomes of interest. All included studies were assessed for methodological quality and pooled estimates of relevant outcomes were obtained in a meta-analysis using a bias adjusted synthesis method. Proportions were synthesized with the Freeman-Tukey double arcsine transformation and binary outcomes using the odds ratio (OR). Heterogeneity between included studies was assessed using the I2 and Cochran’s Q statistics and publication bias was assessed using Doi plots. Results Fifty-four studies, from 18 countries, with around 12 000 000 individuals, followed up to 8 months after recovery were included. At 6-8 months after recovery, the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 specific immunological memory remained high; IgG – 90.4% (95%CI 72.2-99.9, I 2 =89.0%, 5 studies), CD4+ - 91.7% (95%CI 78.2 – 97.1, one study), and memory B cells 80.6% (95%CI 65.0-90.2, one study) and the pooled prevalence of reinfection was 0.2% (95%CI 0.0 – 0.7, I 2 = 98.8, 9 studies). Individuals previously infected with SARS-CoV-2 had an 81% reduction in odds of a reinfection (OR 0.19, 95% CI 0.1 - 0.3, I 2 = 90.5%, 5 studies). Conclusion Around 90% of people previously infected with SARS-CoV-2 had evidence of immunological memory to SARS-CoV-2, which was sustained for at least 6-8 months after recovery, and had a low risk of reinfection. Registration PROSPERO: CRD42020201234 What is already known on this topic Individuals who recover from COVID-19 may have immunity against future infection but the proportion who develop immunity is uncertain. Further, there is uncertainty about the proportion of individuals who get reinfected with COVID-19. What this study adds Using data from 54 studies with follow up time up to 8 months after recovery, during the period February 2020-February 2021, we found that, post-COVID-19, up to 90% of individuals had antibodies and memory T and B cells against SARS-CoV-2. We also found a pooled prevalence of reinfection of 0.2%, and that infection conferred an 81% decrease in odds of reinfection with SARS-CoV-2, compared to unimmunized individuals without previous COVID-19. This review of 12 million individuals presents evidence that most individuals who recover from COVID-19 develop immunological memory to SARS-CoV-2, which was still detectable for up to 8 months. Further, reinfection after recovery from COVID-19 was rare during the first 8 months after recovery, with a prevalence below 1%, while prior infection confers protection with an odds ratio of 0.19 and a preventive efficacy of 80% at a baseline prevalence of 5% for COVID-19 in a community. Implications of all the available evidence Individuals with a history of COVID-19 infection have immunity against the disease for up to 8 months, although this period could be longer. These individuals could be prioritized last for COVID-19 vaccinations or considered for single dose vaccinations. Strengths This comprehensive review addresses key questions on prevalent immunological memory and risk of reinfection in individuals with prior confirmed COVID-19 using robust systematic review methods. Limitations Some of the included studies which examined prevalent immunological memory were small studies which were affected by loss to follow up. The review did not examine evidence for immunity against the new divergent variants, which may be more likely to have immune evasion behaviour and may present a higher risk of reinfection. Lastly, the review did not examine the effect of the severity of COVID-19 on both immunological memory and the risk of reinfection.