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. 2021 May 12;41(5):165-170.
doi: 10.24095/hpcdp.41.5.03. Epub 2021 Feb 17.

Nimble, efficient and evolving: the rapid response of the National Collaborating Centres to COVID-19 in Canada

[Article in English, French]
Maureen Dobbins  1 , Alejandra Dubois  2 , Donna Atkinson  3 , Olivier Bellefleur  4 , Claire Betker  5 , Margaret Haworth-Brockman  6 , Lydia Ma  7
Affiliations
Free article

Nimble, efficient and evolving: the rapid response of the National Collaborating Centres to COVID-19 in Canada

[Article in English, French]
Maureen Dobbins et al. Health Promot Chronic Dis Prev Can. .
Free article

Abstract
in English, French

Since December 2019, there has been a global explosion of research on COVID-19. In Canada, the six National Collaborating Centres (NCCs) for Public Health form one of the central pillars supporting evidence-informed decision making by gathering, synthesizing and translating emerging findings. Funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada and located across Canada, the six NCCs promote and support the use of scientific research and other knowledges to strengthen public health practice, programs and policies. This paper offers an overview of the NCCs as an example of public health knowledge mobilization in Canada and showcases the NCCs' contribution to the COVID-19 response while reflecting on the numerous challenges encountered.

Depuis décembre 2019, on assiste à une explosion mondiale de la recherche sur la COVID-19. Au Canada, les six Centres de collaboration nationale (CCN) en santé publique constituent l’un des piliers de la prise de décisions informées par les données probantes, car ils recueillent, résument et traduisent les connaissances émergentes. Financés par l’Agence de la santé publique du Canada et répartis sur le territoire, ils favorisent et soutiennent l’utilisation des résultats de la recherche scientifique et d’autres connaissances pour renforcer les pratiques, les programmes et les politiques en santé publique. Cet article fournit un aperçu de la manière dont les CCN participent à la mobilisation des connaissances en santé publique au Canada, met en évidence leur contribution à la lutte contre la COVID-19 et décrit les nombreuses difficultés rencontrées.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; emerging infectious diseases; evidence-based practice; knowledge mobilization; knowledge networks; organizational decision making; public health practice.

Plain language summary

The explosion of research on COVID-19 in Canada and around the world called for an improved capacity to support evidence-informed decision making (EIDM). Canada is fostering various mechanisms to achieve this goal; the National Collaborating Centres (NCCs) for Public Health are central to supporting EIDM during the pandemic. The NCCs, a network of networks anchored on six unique knowledge hubs, are well connected to provincial, territorial, local and international partners. In response to COVID-19, the NCCs are making an important contribution to building knowledge, skills and capacity in the public health sector, and to supporting public health professionals in synthesizing and using evidence-informed knowledge in policy and practice.

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