Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), which is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), was first identified in December 2019. In response to the evolving pandemic, the international research evidence base is rapidly expanding.
HIQA established a COVID-19 Evidence Synthesis Team within its Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Directorate. With the support of its Expert Advisory Group (EAG), the team conducted evidence synthesis to inform national strategic decision-making. These evidence syntheses were performed at the request of the Department of Health, the COVID Advisory Group and groups tasked with the national COVID-19 response. This work helped ensure rapid access to the best available evidence relevant to SARS-CoV-2 to inform decision-making at each stage of the pandemic.
Click here for an overview of our COVID-19 evidence synthesis process.
Documents completed by HIQA to inform the national COVID-19 response
HIQA has published a range of evidence-based reports to inform decision-making, health service planning and policy formation. At the request of NPHET, a number of these reports were updated on a regular basis to reflect the latest developments related to COVID-19.
Click here to view our most recent publications
The following evidence-based publications are currently underway
No publications are currently in progress.
Advice drafted on the basis of our evidence syntheses and Expert Advisory Group meetings
Following feedback from HIQA’s Expert Advisory Group, the COVID-19 evidence synthesis team develops an advice document for each policy question posed. This section contains links to the pages holding these advice documents. Each page also includes the supporting information (evidence synthesis publication and related protocols) which informed the advice.
Click here to search for particular advice.
- Rapid HTA of alternative tests to detect current infection with SARS-CoV-2, 21 Oct 20
- Duration of restriction of movements for individuals exposed, or potentially exposed, to SARS-CoV-2, 4 Nov 20
- Potential impact of different testing scenarios to reduce the duration of restriction of movement for close contacts of a COVID-19 case, 4 Nov 20
-
Duration of immunity and reinfection following SARS-CoV-2 infection, 11 Nov 20
-
Extremely medically vulnerable groups with respect to COVID-19, 5 Nov 20
-
Activities or settings associated with a higher risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission, 12 Nov 20
-
Factors that influence and measures to increase vaccination uptake, 16 Dec 20
-
Face mask use in the community to reduce SARS-COV-2 transmission, 17 Dec 20
-
Derogation of vaccinated healthcare workers, 21 Jan 21
-
Review of measures to support those in self-isolation or restriction of movements, 24 Feb 21
-
Reducing the minimum age for mask wearing requirements and recommendations in COVID-19, 14 April 21
-
Duration of protective immunity (protection from reinfection) following SARS-CoV-2 infection, 14 April 21
-
Healthcare personnel who do not avail of COVID-19 vaccination, 14 April 21
-
RADTs in meat processing plants, 30 April 21
-
Duration of protective immunity (protection from reinfection) following SARS-CoV-2 infection, 3 June 21
-
Mandatory home quarantine and post-travel testing, 10 June 21
-
Public health measures to limit SARS-CoV-2 transmission at mass gatherings, 17 June 21
-
Interventions that prevent infection or minimise progression of COVID-19, 23 June 21
-
Public health measures and strategies to limit the spread of COVID-19, 14 July 21
-
Reducing the minimum age for mask wearing requirements and recommendations in COVID-19, 20 September 21
-
Rapid antigen testing of asymptomatic individuals, 20 September 21
-
Respirator mask use by persons who are at higher risk from COVID-19, 21 December 2021
This section contains information about, and links to the meetings of, HIQA’s COVID-19 Expert Advisory Group (EAG)
During EAG meetings the HIQA COVID-19 evidence synthesis team presents their most recent work and asks for input from the EAG to help develop advice to inform the national COVID-19 response. The EAG may request clarification on the work presented, and provides feedback to inform the generation of advice.
Click here for the current membership of our Expert Advisory Group
Click here for the terms of reference of the Expert Advisory Group
See below for links to the minutes of the EAG meetings:
- Meeting no.1: 29 September 2020
- Meeting no.2: 06 October 2020
- Meeting no.3: 20 October 2020
- Meeting no.4: 03 November 2020
- Meeting no.5: 25 November 2020
- Meeting no.6: 09 December 2020
- Meeting no.7: 18 January 2021
- Meeting no.8: 25 January 2021
- Meeting no.9: 08 February 2021
- Meeting no.10: 22 February 2021
- Meeting no.11: 02 March 2021
- Meeting no.12: 22 March 2021
- Meeting no.13: 30 March 2021
- Meeting no.14: 06 April 2021
- Meeting no.15: 26 April 2021
- Meeting no.16: 04 May 2021
- Meeting no.17: 19 May 2021
- Meeting no.18: 24 May 2021
- Meeting no.19: 11 Aug 2021
- Meeting no.20: 23 Aug 2021
- Meeting no.21: 13 Oct 2021
- Meeting no.22: 15 Nov 2021
- Meeting no.23: 10 Mar 2022