This was one of eight awards from a worldwide open call (with unrestricted funds provided by Pfizer) for research grant applications in response to the current coronavirus (COVID-19) public health emergency. The call supported all aspects of COVID-19 research from all countries but with specific interest in applications that address aspects of COVID-19 in LMIC communities, or the impact of COVID-19 on the antimicrobial resistance and antimicrobial stewardship agenda.

Professor Lambert said, “In the first phase of the pandemic, there were indications that antibiotics were being used indiscriminately to treat COVID-19 patients. This has worrying implications for antimicrobial resistance, as well as for the effective treatment of secondary bacterial infections in these patients in settings where resistance to common antibiotics is already prevalent. This award from BSAC will enable us both to collate systematic evidence from LMICs on patterns of antibiotic use for COVID-19 through the course of the pandemic so far, and to identify changing patterns in antimicrobial prescribing and consumption through surveys of health professionals and members of the public in China and elsewhere.”

The award also brings together the priority areas of two Elizabeth Blackwell Institute funded Research Strands, Global Public Health – which has prioritised rapid research into COVID-19 in LMIC - and Bristol AMR, which pledged a further £10k of institutional support to support the BSAC application.

Professor Matthew Avison, Bristol AMR Research Strand chair said, "This award adds to the already substantial portfolio of LMIC-based AMR research being led by University of Bristol academics. The Bristol AMR management committee is delighted to provide strategic support for such an important project, which considers potential intersections between the two greatest infectious disease threats of our age."