In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Glasgow City region has capitalised on opportunities arising from its strengths in research, innovation, and entrepreneurship to help tackle new societal challenges, and provide a platform to recover and re-build.

Here we provide a summary of Glasgow City Region’s activity in September.

Research

A University of Strathclyde study has suggested that 86 per cent of high risk individuals in the UK would be willing to receive a vaccination for COVID-19 if it were available. The study published in the British Journal of Health Psychology found that those who indicated they want to receive a vaccine said the risk of contracting COVID-19 and the severity of it, including the fear of possible death were the key reasons. Protecting loved ones was another common reason cited.

Political leaders across Europe failed to promote COVID-19 health guidelines on social media in the early days of the pandemic, according to a new academic study. Researchers from Glasgow Caledonian University and two universities in Spain analysed the Twitter use of political leaders from countries in Europe most affected by coronavirus. The study found that in the first 40 days of the health pandemic, just 1.9% of Boris Johnson’s tweets related to official health guidelines from the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) Professor Lesley Price is co-ordinating the Scottish arm of the UK-wide SIREN study, in partnership with Public Health Scotland, and working closely with NHS Research Scotland and the Chief Scientist Office. SIREN is a study testing 100,000 health workers, which will provide information on immunity from and prevalence of COVID-19 infection. The primary objective of the study is to determine whether the presence of COVID-19 antibodies is associated with a reduction in the subsequent risk of re-infection over the next year.

Researchers and clinicians in Glasgow will lead a global study into the long-term health impacts of COVID-19. The international, multi-site study is launched by ISARIC to measure prevalence and risk factors of long-term health and psychosocial consequences of COVID-19. The researchers are inviting hospitals and healthcare sites worldwide to join this new study.

Younger adults and people with pre-existing health conditions are more likely to suffer anxiety, depression, PTSD and higher levels of worry as a result of the COVID-19 measures, new research has shown. Four top psychologists at Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) studied data from 726 people living in Scotland during lockdown to find out the impact that Coronavirus measures were having on mental health.

Innovation

Glasgow Caledonian University’s ARC sports centre has been transformed into a key walk-through COVID-19 test centre to serve the local community of Glasgow. The centre will enable anyone with coronavirus symptoms, including students, GCU staff and members of the public, to get a free swab test that takes less than a minute. 

A new mobile phone app to help reduce the disproportionate number of Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) people affected by Covid-19 is being designed by a team of Scottish academics. Led by Dr Muhammad Zeeshan Shakir at UWS, with funding from CEMVO Scotland through Scottish Government and Comic Relief (NSI funding), the app will provide government guidance in a variety of languages and formats to help local communities understand and adhere to social distancing guidelines and avoid unnecessary risks.

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