The Joint Research Centre in the fight against Coronavirus

The JRC contributed to initiatives to support the recovery after the crisis. Are museums open? Is a mask required in public?

In early June, the JRC developed Re-open EU, a dedicated website and interactive map for tourists who want to travel safely in the EU this summer. It contains real-time information on the situation at borders, travel restrictions, travel advice, public health and safety measures and available tourism services. Citizens across Europe will have easy access to all the information they need to plan their trip confidently and enjoy their holiday safely.

This is just one of many examples of the JRC's contribution to the European Commission’s response to the COVID-19 crisis through solid scientific evidence, tools and data. From the preparation of guidelines and control materials for testing and better characterisation of the pandemic, to the analysis of economic impacts, the JRC is evaluating and anticipating the evolution of the crisis to manage it better and prepare for the exit strategy. The JRC is monitoring the situation from the citizens’ perspective, understanding their fears and concerns on security, social, economic and environmental aspects.

On 15 April, the European Commission presented a roadmap towards lifting Coronavirus containment measures. The availability of reliable data over time is key to lifting containment measures, as Mariya Gabriel, European Commissioner responsible for the JRC, said. With the JRC’s support, the Commission developed test performance criteria to improve their overall performance, which will benefit all European citizens.

In March, JRC scientists designed a new control material to help prevent Coronavirus test failures and increase their accuracy. The lack of positive control materials was one of the main challenges faced by laboratories for the reliable implementation of Coronavirus diagnostic tests. From 1 April, samples of JRC material were dispatched to laboratories and research centres in countries across Europe.

The European Crisis Management Laboratory of the JRC launched a unique database of containment measures and casualties which covers 35 countries across Europe. These data relate to local data on numbers of contagious and fatalities by COVID-19, collected directly from the national sources and containment measures adopted by countries, and is daily updated.

The key areas for the database monitoring and analysis include a focus on social distancing, international and internal mobility and accessibility to primary goods and services.