The “Bern, get ready” (BEready) project is building a cohort of 1’500 households in the canton of Bern, including adults, children and pets, to observe how infectious diseases spread in the population. For project leader Prof. Nicola Low and project manager Dr. Eva Maria Hodel from ISPM, anchoring the study in the Bern region is key: “In the end, it’s also about trust because only then will people stay engaged over many years. It’s about building a long-term relationship.”
While rooted locally, the findings are intended to have a global impact. Bern reflects the demographic characteristics of the Swiss population, making it a strong model for national trends. During COVID-19, such local data were missing, forcing reliance on foreign studies and models. The Multidisciplinary Center for Infectious Diseases at the University of Bern is funding BEready as a core activity, to provide evidence that can inform not only Swiss decision-making but also international responses to future pandemics.
