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Getting ready to act: theorising a stepwise transition into crisis response at points of entry based on interviews with COVID-19 responders and a military preparedness framework.
de Rooij, Doret; Janse, Jacobine; Raab, Jörg; Timen, Aura.
  • de Rooij D; National Coordination Centre for Communicable Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, The Netherlands doret.de.rooij@rivm.nl.
  • Janse J; Athena Institute, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
  • Raab J; Athena Institute, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
  • Timen A; Department of Military Management Studies, Netherlands Defence Academy, Breda, The Netherlands.
BMJ Open ; 13(2): e062960, 2023 02 10.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-2240163
ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION:

Points of entry (POE) have an important role in timely national response to infectious diseases threats. However, a guiding framework is lacking for the transition from generic preparedness into optimally specified response for an imminent infectious disease threat, a step called 'operational readiness'.

OBJECTIVE:

We aim to contribute to the conceptual closure of this preparedness-response gap for infectious disease control at POE by providing content to the operational readiness concept.

DESIGN:

We first explored the NATO Combat Readiness (NCR) concept for its applicability on infectious disease control at POE, as the military discipline faces the same need of being flexible in preparing for unknown threats. Concepts of the NCR that support the transition into response to a specific threat were integrated into the operational readiness concept. To explore the added value of the concept in practice, we conducted and analysed semistructured interviews of professionals at European POE (n=24) responsible for the early COVID-19 response.

RESULTS:

Based on the NCR, operational readiness builds on the fact that activating the response capabilities and capacities to a specific threat requires time. For professionals at POE, the transition from generic preparedness into the COVID-19 response led to challenges in specifying response plans, dealing with an overload of information, while experiencing shortages of public health staff. These challenges could be covered within operational readiness by defining the time and the specific staging needed to upgrade response capabilities and capacities.

DISCUSSION:

We conclude that a guiding framework for operational readiness seems appropriate in relation to the many activities and challenges POE have had to face during the COVID-19 response. Operational readiness is mainly defined by the time dimension required to deploy the response to a specific threat. However, integrating this conceptual framework into practice requires structural and sustainable investments in outbreak preparedness.
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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: COVID-19 / Military Personnel Type of study: Observational study / Qualitative research Limits: Humans Language: English Journal: BMJ Open Year: 2023 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: Bmjopen-2022-062960

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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Main subject: COVID-19 / Military Personnel Type of study: Observational study / Qualitative research Limits: Humans Language: English Journal: BMJ Open Year: 2023 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: Bmjopen-2022-062960