Effectiveness of Pharmaceutical and Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions Against Airborne Transmission: Computational Modeling using CARA

### **Remote Data Collection: Reducing Carbon Emissions by Minimising International Fieldwork Travel**

**Melvine Anyango1 and Jennifer Cole2**

1Department of Environmental Health, School of Environmental Studies, University of Eldoret, 2Department of Health Studies, School of Life Sciences and the Environment, Royal Holloway, University of London, UK

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented challenges for international research projects, preventing crossborder and in-country research fieldwork. This has fast-tracked digital teaching and remote working. The advantages of this should endure beyond the current crisis. The pandemic has proven that academics in one country can direct and instruct colleagues in another to collect data at a local level without the need for international travel and without compromising the quality of the research. Importantly, lessons identified from these experiences can ensure that international research can be carried out without incurring the high carbon footprint of international travel. To give an example of this, a food and nutrition project funded by the Grand Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) Internal QR Urgency Awards (Royal Holloway) was conducted without any international travel. Young researchers from the University of Eldoret were trained remotely in data collection, safeguarding, and medical ethics and were able to successfully complete the data collection required. The project avoided generating 26.39 tonnes of CO2 from the return flights from eight people to Kenya that had been factored into the project plan pre-COVID-19 travel. Hence, remote working should continue to be utilized where possible, even after international travel opens up again post-pandemic.

Melvine Anyango1 and Jennifer Cole2

<sup>1</sup> Department of Environmental Health, School of Environmental Studies, University of Eldoret, P. O. Box 1125, Eldoret, Kenya

<sup>2</sup> Department of Health Studies, School of Life Sciences and the Environment, Royal Holloway, University of London, UK

#### Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented challenges for international research projects, preventing cross-border and in-country research fieldwork. This has fast-tracked digital teaching and remote working. The advantages of this should endure beyond the current crisis. The pandemic has proved that academics in one country can direct and instruct colleagues in another to collect data at a local level without the need for international travel and without compromising the quality of the research. Importantly, lessons identified from these experiences can ensure that international research can be carried out without incurring the high carbon footprint that comes with international travel.

To give an example of this, a food and nutrition project funded by the Grand Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) Internal QR Urgency Awards (Royal Holloway) was conducted without any international travel. Young researchers from the University of Eldoret were trained remotely in data collection, safeguarding and medical ethics, and were able to complete the data collection required successfully. The project avoided generating 26.39 tonnes of CO2 from eight people's return flights to Kenya, which had been factored into the project travel plan pre-COVID-19. Hence, remote working should continue to be utilised where possible, even after international travel opens up again post-pandemic.

#### Overview

The project addresses the role of wet markets in child nutrition. Child malnutrition is highly prevalent in Kenya. About 26% of children under five in Kenya have stunted growth (DHS, 2014). Childhood malnutrition is associated with poor health and education in later life. It is also linked, at the societal level, with high poverty and low economic growth (McGovern et al., 2017). Hence, the study project assessed households and collected qualitative and quantitative data in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu, County, Kenya.

*Figure 1. Research Assistants (UoE) engaging the community.*

Meanwhile, in-country researchers (University of Eldoret) were remotely trained to map the markets (QGIS), conduct the Household Demographic Survey, carry out the Dietary Assessment, and conduct the Child Health Assessment.

*Figure 2. Research Assistants (UoE) collecting data*.

Data were collected from selected households with children under five years old in peri-urban communities in Eldoret, Uasin, Gishu County, to evaluate household food consumption and child health via sources of childhood protein (eg. eggs, milk, poultry meat, pork, beef, goat, and lamb) and producers and suppliers.

*Figure 3. Animal protein sources (poultry, cattle and pigs).*

The remote data collection process was designed to minimize face-to-face contact between data collectors and study participants in-country in line with WHO/national COVID-19 health protocols. An added advantage was the reduction in carbon emissions due to restrictions on international researchers' fieldwork travel without compromising data quality.

*Figure 4. Child height measurement and haemoglobin test.*

Thereafter, qualitative and quantitative data were generated and the data are presently being analysed to make informed scientific conclusions that will address sound environmental and health policy interventions concomitantly.

*Figure 5: ln-country research team (UoE).*
