During the COVID-19 crisis, the Risk Assessment Group (RAG) was asked to set up a system for a standardized interpretation of the epidemiological situation of COVID-19 which would assist decision-making. Hence, several "management" tools were successively developed and used between September 2020 and August 2023, which proved useful in evaluating and communicating the epidemiological situation to authorities.
The Respi-Radar was developed in the summer 2023 with the aim of assessing the epidemiological situation and informing public health preparedness and response for respiratory infections in general, so not only focusing on SARS-CoV-2.
The Respi-Radar was divided into four levels, based on combinations of indicators: Level Yellow when the epidemic threshold was reached but the situation remained under control and the impact on the healthcare system (first and second line) remained limited ; level Orange when there was a moderate viral circulation with pressure on the healthcare system; in this case public health measures are necessary to reverse the trend ; level Red when there was an important or very important viral circulation with a high risk of overwhelming of the healthcare system ; in this case measures to mitigate the epidemic might be needed. The Green level reflected the baseline situation, when the tool is not needed.
The Respi-Radar was based on six main indicators, from the Influenza-Like Illness and Severe Acute Respiratory Infection sentinel surveillances (in nursing homes, primary and secondary care), as well as from the wastewater surveillance. Additional information fed the assessment of the situation, such as data from the national reference laboratories which provided pathogen-specific information.
Based on the Respi-Radar tool, the RAG regularly evaluated the epidemiological situation of respiratory infections between September 2023 and March 2024. The situation was assessed as being in the yellow level from week 46 2023 to week 3 2024; in the orange level from week 4 2024 to week 7 2024, back to yellow on week 8 2024 and green since week 11 2024. When the orange level was reached, measures were proposed to the healthcare sector by the Risk Management Group (RMG).
The evaluation of the Respi-Radar (indicators used, thresholds, levels) is currently ongoing in order to determine the best approach for the assessment and management of the epidemiological situation during the next respiratory season.
