Mitigating the COVID-19 outbreak through global data sharing

The WHO Global Clinical Platform for COVID-19 Call to action

To help inform pandemic responses, clinical management guidelines and improve our understanding of COVID-19, through global data sharing.

On 26 November 2021, WHO designated the variant B.1.1.529 a variant of concern (VOC), on the basis of advice from WHO’s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution. This new VOC, called Omicron, is a highly divergent variant with a high number of mutations, some of which may be associated with immune escape potential and higher transmissibility. However, there are still considerable uncertainties. 

The main uncertainties are: (1) how transmissible the variant is and whether any increases are related to immune escape, intrinsic increased transmissibility, or both; (2) how well vaccines protect against infection, transmission, clinical disease of different degrees of severity and death; and (3) does the variant present with a different severity profile.

To address these uncertainties, we call to action Member States, health facilities and research networks to voluntarily contribute to the WHO Global Clinical Platform for COVID-19.

What is the WHO Global Clinical Platform for COVID-19?

The COVID-19 Platform is an online data repository which facilitates rapid and systematic collection and analysis of anonymized, individual, clinical data of hospitalized COVID-19 cases to improve the global understanding of the clinical presentation of all COVID-19 variants, including Omicron. This secure access database is hosted on the REDCap server.

The updated WHO Core Case Report Form enables efficient and standardized collection of relevant clinical  data, including vaccination status and variant types. 

Why is your contribution important?

Through enhanced surveillance of the clinical features, diagnostic modalities, and therapeutic strategies we will better understand the Omicron variant. This is a global priority, We hereby call on Member States and other relevant parties to commit to reporting new cases diagnosed with the Omicron variant as soon as they occur.

How to contribute data:

Data can be recorded directly into the electronic REDCap server, or into the local database of a facility or network, or on printed paper Core Case Report Froms (CRFs), with data entered into COVID-19 Platform thereafter.

STEP 1. CREATE YOUR PROFILE clicking the following this web link 

STEP 2.  REVIEW TERMS OF USE and submit the form

STEP 3.  After 1-2 days, you will receive an email with log-in credentials for accessing the WHO Global Clinical Platform or, if you have an established database, other instructions for sharing data.

For more information on the WHO Global Clinical Platform for COVID-19, visit this webpage.

If you have any questions, please contact WHO at: COVID_ClinPlatform@who.int