- bioanalysis
- COVID-19
- pandemic
In 1917 – the world at war – an unknown disease slowly but surely invades the USA and Europe. First, the disease with flu-like symptoms infects and kills young soldiers in the army barracks in Kansas, USA. They were bravely volunteering to defend and free Europe but died in agony in army tents only 50 miles away from their home towns. In only a few months time, the disease reached the trenches of the Western European battle fields, with more devastating impact. From there, it traveled around the world at warp speed. Less than 2 years later an estimated 50–100 million citizens are dead in what is currently known as one of the most deadly pandemics in recorded history – the Spanish Flu [1–3].
But, as with many catastrophes, human memory is short-lived and the Spanish Flu was slowly forgotten in the mists of time, with the exception of a handful scholars and historians.
End of December 2019 – only experts in the field recognized there may be a next ‘Spanish Flu’ on the horizon when a coronavirus, known as coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 causing a disease called COVID-19, was reported to be killing citizens in Wuhan, Hubei province, China. From then, the virus changed the global dynamics and interactions as we knew them in pre-Corona times.
Not a typical introduction for a manuscript in a scientific journal, but exceptional circumstances allow exceptional introductions. So, back to bioanalysis, the focus of this journal and this article.
Mid-2021 – as parts of the world are gradually starting to recover from the social, geopolitical and economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and preparing for the post-corona era, other regions are still right in the middle of the health crisis and its collateral damage. Is this a good moment to reflect and take the temperature of what the pandemic could mean for the bioanalytical community? When the invitation to contribute to this Special Focus Issue on COVID-19 arrived in my mailbox, I was not sure how to approach this and I had an array of ideas of what to write, either coming from personal experiences as part of my interactions in cross-company industry communities like the European Bioanalysis Forum (EBF) or from interactions and experiences shared with me by industry peers. The decision not to start writing immediately but leave it on the stove for a few months was valuable, as it articulated the need to continuously revise and review the vision on the subject, integrating new facts or alternative insights as the pandemic developed. Waiting and integrating these in the manuscript in this phase of the pandemic should make us realize that it may be impossible to write a paper now which will stand the test of time. Nevertheless, one and a half years into the pandemic, we have already learned a lot and it will be valuable not to lose the vision of today.
Looking at how the bioanalytical community has lived through these first 18 months of the pandemic, there are many areas to write on. We will likely find many interesting contributions in this Special Focus Issue, ranging from practical solutions on sample handling and automation, laboratories spearheading innovative assays in support of vaccine development or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing. These are all excellent examples of a common theme: the flexibility of the bioanalytical community to adapt fast and always be ready to partner and provide cutting-edge and highly efficient support to drug discovery and development with a focus on the patient. KUDOS.
In the continuation of this short manuscript, I want to reflect on three more general themes where COVID-19 has already impacted and likely will continue to impact the way we work in the future years, perhaps even for our next generation: our social network; the global regulatory environment; and our workplace.
For more please buy this article/editor@bioanalysisjournal.com