Using team science to support outbreak management in a large urban region during the COVID-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES/GOALS To describe how the UCLA Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) assembled and deployed a science team in support of a local jurisdictions effort to manage and control COVID-19 outbreaks in one of the nations largest metropolitan regions, Los Angeles County (LAC). METHODS/STUDY POPULATION During the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-21), building an efficient data infrastructure to support outbreak management became a priority for the local health department. In response, the UCLA CTSI assembled a science team with expertise across the translational continuum epidemiology, laboratory and microbiology, machine learning, health policy, medicine and clinical care, and community engagement. The team partnered with a new LAC Data Science Team to foster a collaborative learning environment for scientists and public health personnel, employing improvement and implementation science to help mitigate COVID-19 outbreaks in sectors including healthcare, skilled nursing facilities, and K-12 education. The goal was a public health workforce that is prepared to problem-solve complex, evolving outbreaks. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: The science team created a learning environment with data modeling and visualization, problem-based learning, and active knowledge and skills acquisition. First, control charts and time series methods were used to visualize COVID-19 data and find signals for action. Second, a series of 16 Grand Rounds offered interactive sessions on problem-solving of outbreak challenges in different sectors. Third, a biweekly Public Health Digest provided fieldworkers with the latest scientific studies on COVID-19. All three elements guided and empowered the workforce to implement timelier, efficient outbreak mitigation strategies in the field. The partnered team also identified barriers to adoption of selected new data and management techniques, revealing areas for further skill-building and data-driven leadership. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE: The UCLA CTSI science team offered a backbone science infrastructure for helping public health and other sector agencies manage COVID-19 outbreaks and mitigation. It showed promise in bringing and translating science into public health practice. It revealed future priorities for CTSI innovation and scientific support of public agencies.