Potential value streams of an integrated Canadian serosurveillance network

The Government of Canada, through the COVID-19 Immunity Task Force (CITF), supported over 100 serosurveillance studies during the COVID-19 pandemic, building and strengthening the technical infrastructure necessary for a national serosurveillance network. The value of such a network extends beyond infectious disease surveillance to monitoring non-communicable diseases and chemical and environmental contaminants, advancing immunology and medicine, and contributing to national and international research and training. A serosurveillance network can contribute to skill development and retention of the health workforce and provide a platform to rapidly evaluate diagnostics for emerging pathogens. Although full linkage of health data across jurisdictions remains a challenge for such a serosurveillance network to realize its full potential, there are several value streams that make it a worthwhile goal to pursue: improving population health, supporting policy decisions, and facilitating research and diagnostic development. In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, an integrated pan-Canadian serosurveillance network is a crucial asset going forward.