Roadmap for the development of disease control strategies for coronaviruses

Biosecurity

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Biosecurity

Research Question

Acceptable and effective biosecurity protocols adapted to a range of specific contexts
Consideration needs to be given that biosecurity is for agricultural to wildlife AND vice-versa as a two-way route and the management approaches could differ widely

In South East Asia, farming practices are integrated and limiting for bio-security. Economic costs also factors in this region and it’s challenging convince farmers to utilise biosecurity measures due to costs. Integrated (mixed animal) farming systems support inter-species mingling and potential disease spread between species
Cost of implementation, and willingness/ability to invest in the sector generally if there is no quantifiable benefit or empirical evidence of its efficacy
Applicability of biosecurity in certain field settings where resources may be limited
Evaluation of biosecurity measures (e.g., efficacy and benefits) in different contexts. Disinfectants are often not suitable for all pathogens, and there may also be off-target consequences of misuse e.g. increases resistance and/or driving mutations. We have a poor understanding of the host-animal-environment interface where transmission occurs
Daily engagement in biosecurity from workers/animal owners
Consideration to the long-term unknown consequences to the environment

Conducting cost-benefits of accessible biosecurity measures to identify areas where most impact could be achieved economically. Empirically demonstrating the benefits of biosecurity across different scenarios
Adapting biosecurity measures to local settings, especially in low- and middle-income regions where resources are constrained.
Social science approaches (e.g. focus groups with end-users) to co-design solutions to increase acceptability.

Need to better understand interactions where transmission may occur between wildlife and domestic animals for example, so that sufficient biosecurity measures can be identified (e.g. physical barriers).
Identifying and quantifying the value/benefit of biosecurity measures especially where measures do not yield cost-savings. This needs to be communicated to end-users, policy decision-makers and other external stakeholders to allow for evidence-based decision-making.
Defining biosecurity and creating a narrative of context – biosecurity currently doesn’t mean anything to some sectors.
Understanding the risks of using biosecurity tools – this requires study of the measures themselves.