Open-source platform aims to help with rapid review of preprints related to emerging disease outbreaks
A recently launched preprint platform has issued a call for papers related to the coronavirus outbreak.
The move comes amid a growing drive to make research about the deadly virus freely available. The virus has so far claimed more than 3,200 lives, with the first UK death confirmed on 6 March as the number of cases continues to rise.
Launched in December 2019 with funding from the Wellcome Trust, Outbreak Science rapid PREreview—a collaboration between PREreview and Outbreak Science—facilitates rapid, open review of research related to outbreaks before formal peer review.
In a joint article published in Nature on 3 March, Michael Johansson, the founder of Oubreak Science, and Daniela Saderi, the co-founder of PREreview, said they launched the platform to help “pinpoint the most important research”.
“Outbreaks of pathogens such as the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus that is responsible for Covid-19 move fast and can affect anyone,” they said.
“Research to support outbreak response needs to be fast and open, too, as do mechanisms to review outbreak-related research. Help other scientists, as well as the media, journals and public-health officials, to find the most important Covid-19 preprints now.”