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Short Abstract

Incorporating Citizen Science reporting of emerging infectious disease in humans and wildlife allows for earlier detection. Based on New York City Virus Hunters community science initiative we focus on the possibilities and challenges of community engagement in pandemic preparedness.

Abstract

Citizen Science has been instrumental in boosting public participation in applied research. Incorporating Citizen Science reporting of emerging infectious disease (EIDs) in humans and wildlife can allow for earlier detection by collecting data to create a baseline and to study transmission dynamics. In this short talk we will present the New York City Virus Hunters community science initiative, which is a collaboration between three New York City institutions: the science outreach organization BioBus, the Krammer laboratory at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and the wildlife rehabilitation clinic Wild Bird Fund.

The talk will focus on the possibilities and challenges of community engagement in pandemic preparedness. We will outline 1) how the program infrastructure could serve as a crucial tool for pathogen monitoring and epidemic management, and 2) how CS could serve as a way of addressing societal inequalities by enabling access to pandemic preparedness. Attendees will walk away with best practice examples for interdisciplinary participatory action research, such as the New York City Virus Hunters.