Updated on: 2020-04-03
| Response | |
|---|---|
| Q1A. What arrangements, if any, do you have in place to ensure scientific advice informs national policy and decision making in relation to Covid-19? | Austrian research institutions and universities, for example the Austrian Academy of Sciences (OeAW) and the Medical Universities, are regularly consulting policy makers from government institutions and the parliament. Offering their expertise to official decision makers is a part of their legal obligations. Relevant researchers are also included in the crisis consulting boards. For example: Austrian Federal Ministry of Health “Coronavirus Taskforce”, which provides medical and scientific advice - see https://www.sozialministerium.at/Informa... |
| Q1B. In what ways, if any, are you coordinating on Covid-19 STI responses at international level? | The responses are coordinated by the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research. The focus of international coordination lies within the European Union and is based on regular video conferences between the European Commission and Member States at Directorate-General level. As a result of these coordination efforts, an “R&I Action Plan for ‘ERAvsCorona’" is about to be finalised. |
| Q2.Do you have dedicated arrangements in place for communicating science advice and for refuting misleading information to the public on Covid-19? | Government authorities aim to inform the public through official channels on ongoing scientific developments on a very regular basis. The Federal Chancellery established a “digital crisis unit”, which deals with the detection and correction of incorrect information about Covid-19. The public television channels, as well as private networks, are widely covering scientific developments in their news shows. At the same time special television shows have been aired that offer scientists the opportunity to provide relevant advice and information to a larger public. |
| Q3. What new STI policy measures, if any, is your country taking to respond specifically to the Covid-19 crisis? | A dedicated Joint Call for COVID-19 with a volume of € 21 Mio. from the two Austrian Federal Ministries,the Ministry of Digitalisation and Economy together with the Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Mobility, Innovation and Technology was launched in March to support applied research on tests, vaccines and medication against COVID-19 Mio. See https://www.ffg.at/ausschreibung/emergen.... The Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research is supporting its Medical Universities to participate in medical trials with an extra € 2 Mio. The Austrian Science Fund (FWF) has introduced fast track approval for COVID-19 relevant research. The Austrian authorities treat all applications for medical trials preferentially in order to grant approval as fast as possible. Additionally, Austrian research groups successfully participate in the special Horizon 2020 call at the European level. |
| Q4A. At national level, what mechanisms are you developing or relying upon to bring together different STI actors (researchers, industry, government, health sector, foundations, etc.) to effectively collaborate on responses to Covid-19? | The funding calls mentioned under Q3 are open for joint proposals. They aim at furthering close collaboration and address possible synergies between universities and research institutions, both from the academic and private sector, which we are already registering throughout the Austrian STI system. We are currently aiming at establishing additional platforms on a national level to better coordinate relevant initiatives. |
| Q4B. At international level, what mechanisms are you developing or relying upon to bring together different STI actors (researchers, industry, government, health sector, foundations, etc.) to effectively collaborate on responses to Covid-19? | The Austrian universities and research institutions are organised in multiple international platforms, such as, for example, the European Academy of Sciences (EurASc), the European university networks, or transnational initiatives such as CEPI (Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations). EMBL-EBI (European Bioinformatics Institute) has started to work with interested Member States to establish data hubs that can serve as a forum for data sharing among virologists from all over the world. A current challenge is to step up our efforts in coordinating all these initiatives in order to create critical mass and to avoid unnecessary duplication. Via the Horizon 2020 Health Programme Committee, a list of the 8 most urgent research fields related to COVID-19 from GLOPID-R (Global Research Collaboration for Infectious Disease Prevention) and the WHO has been distributed. This list could form the basis for a coordinated action in Europe. |
| Q5. What novel approaches, if any, is your country using to address the coronavirus crisis (e.g. use of machine learning, open science initiatives boosting access and sharing of data and research results, development and use of prediction models, etc.)? | In Austria, there are currently numerous initiatives, both from the public and private sector, aiming at providing rapid tests, medication and vaccination. Many of those are embedded in international and European partnerships. The initiatives range from academic spin-offs using AI technology to identify agents, big data analysis on the spread of COVID-19 nationally and internationally, university networks manufacturing sanitiser through novel methods, to the social sciences addressing and supporting the current societal challenges. Since the already significant number is constantly growing, providing a representative overview is impossible at the current time. To name one of the above mentioned initiatives, the Complexity Science Hub Vienna (CSH) has offered new calculations with regard to possible scenarios for the spread of Covid-19. Their publication is offered with the suggestion to base all predictions regarding the duration of the measures issued by the Austrian government on patients in intensive care units and deaths, rather than on infection numbers. Another initiative that offers advice on the duration of those measures is a research team from the Technical University in Vienna and one of its spin-off companies. They published a simulation calculation that asks to keep the measures issued in place, but that from a scientific point of view at the current time, more restrictions for the general public are unlikely to have an impact. Therefore, additional measures should put their focus on targeted risk groups. |
| Q6A. What impact on the STI system do you anticipate in the short-, medium- and long-term, and what measures are you implementing to address those? | The corona crisis will only be solved with the aid of research and innovation. This has been stressed by members of the Austrian government in a joint press statement on March 21st 2020. The corona crisis is a time in which the government, and especially society, strongly rely on the expertise of and support from the STI-system all around the globe. What is currently witnessed is a rapid engagement across disciplines and nationalities of researchers from all institutions to jointly battle the crisis. In times like this, the significance of R&D and its direct impact on all our lives becomes more evident than ever. At this point in time, it seems premature to describe the impacts of the Corona pandemic on the STI system in more detail. |
| Q6B. Is support of the STI system part of planned stimulus packages aimed at supporting the economy? | Besides the support measures mentioned in answer to Q3, the Austrian government plans to provide a €38 billion support package for the domestic economy. Within this package, many R&D oriented companies and research institutions are going to be supported. However, it is currently not planned to invest that money in the STI system. |
| Q7. Is there anything else regarding the STI policy response to Covid-19 in your country you would like to mention? | All efforts by the OECD to foster collaboration and exchange of experience among its members are most welcome. |