Updated on: 2020-08-04
| 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? | The Ministry of Health has designated "primary specialists" in 18 areas who among other tasks advise the minister of health. The specialist for infectology is Dr. Uga Dumpis. |
| Q1B. In what ways, if any, are you coordinating on Covid-19 STI responses at international level? | By participating in various fora related to Covid-19 STI responses organized by OECD, UNESCO, European Commission, etc. |
| Q2.Do you have dedicated arrangements in place for communicating science advice and for refuting misleading information to the public on Covid-19? | No dedicated arrangements are in place, but the science communication social media accounts "Zinātne Latvijai" administered by the Ministry of Education and Science are sharing content, communicating science advice and refuting misleading information (e.g. about advertisements that sell fake Covid-19 tests). The State Chancellery of Latvia has devloped an official Covid-19 information website (https://covid19.gov.lv/). |
| Q3. What new STI policy measures, if any, is your country taking to respond specifically to the Covid-19 crisis? | - EUR 5,000,000 State Research Program (SRP) for Covid-19 research in the fields of health, engineering, society, and the economy. The SRP is planned to be implemented by the end of 2020 in the form of interdisciplinary research projects, with a special emphasis on information and technology and economic components. SRP projects would focus on research topics such as viral biomedical research, new forms of work and education, digital tools and platforms, remote medical services, psychology and families, post-Covid-19 health effects, clinical recommendations for drugs and vaccines, and other Covid-19 related mitigation issues. - EUR 500,000 from the European Regional Development Fund for Covid-19 epidemiological research; - EUR 400,000 [initially earmarked, actual amount will not exceed EUR 150,000] NordFosk research project competition on the use of Nordic health data to combat and mitigate the Covid-19 pandemic. The competition provides for the use of existing clinical, socio-economic, statistical, and other data, the acquisition of new data, and the facilitation of cross-border data exchange. In order for the project to be included in the competition, Latvian scientific institutions will have to cooperate in an international consortium with at least two Nordic partners. |
| 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? | Ad-hoc coordination working group led by the Latvian Council of Science. Involves high-level ministry representatives, researchers and industry. |
| 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? | [Left blank] |
| 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.)? | The Ministry of Economics (responsible for innovation policy) and the Latvian Investment Development Agency has contributed EUR 25 000 to the prize pool of a Covid-19 hackathon in March of 2020. https://labsoflatvia.com/en/news/hackath... |
| 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? | Providing some flexibility for deadlines in certain projects. |
| Q6B. Is support of the STI system part of planned stimulus packages aimed at supporting the economy? | [Left blank] |
| Q7. Is there anything else regarding the STI policy response to Covid-19 in your country you would like to mention? | [Left blank] |