With the aim of improving surveillance of influenza, COVID-19, RSV, and other respiratory infections, “PNOE” is launching its operations, the Participatory Network for Community Epidemiological Surveillance (PNOE), which introduces the participatory surveillance approach to Cyprus for the first time. “PNOE” is coordinated by Dr. Theodoros Lytras, Associate Professor of Public Health at the School of Medicine of the European University of Cyprus.
Every winter, respiratory infections cause significant morbidity in Cyprus: lost workdays, doctor visits, hospitalizations, and more serious consequences for the most vulnerable. Traditional epidemiological surveillance (sentinel-based), which relies on a limited number of private physicians reporting cases, is sparse and leaves gaps in our understanding of which infections are circulating, when, and where.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
Bean Bar: Five years in business and 24 retail locations in Cyprus
The new Ocean Basket app is here
“PNOE” aims to fill this gap. Participatory surveillance has been in use for many years in Europe and is recommended by the World Health Organization. Instead of relying solely on those who visit a doctor, it asks volunteers from the general population to report their symptoms every week, whether they are sick or completely well. This way, we “see” the full picture, including those who stay home with a mild cold.
How it works
Participants download the free SCEPI app, give their consent online, and fill out a very short questionnaire once a week about any symptoms they’ve had over the past 7 days. Those who report symptoms are asked to provide a few additional details. Once a year, they also complete a brief questionnaire about their health status and vaccination history. Everything is done via their cell phone, without any doctor’s office visits, tests, or medical procedures.
Privacy is at the heart of the SCEPI app’s design: the information is completely anonymous; researchers do not know who the participants are or their email addresses; and the data is neither sold nor shared with third parties. Participants can opt out of “PNOI” whenever they want with a single “click,” and their data is deleted immediately. The study has been approved by the National Bioethics Committee of Cyprus (EEBK EP 2026.01.163).
What we want to learn
- How trends in respiratory infections vary over time and space, so that increased seasonal activity can be detected early.
- Who is most affected, and which risk factors are significant.
- How effective vaccination is in the community against influenza, COVID-19, and RSV.
- Whether—and how often—symptoms persist for weeks after the initial illness.
Open results for everyone
All findings are displayed on an open online dashboard that will be updated at least weekly, as well as in periodic reports and scientific publications, so that the entire community knows which viruses are circulating and when. (Results will begin to be published as soon as a critical mass of volunteers has registered with “PNOI.”)
How to Participate
Participation is open to any adult (18+) residing in Cyprus. Registration takes just a few minutes on your cell phone via the link https://scepi.euc.ac.cy/in/pnoe or by scanning the study’s QR code. Detailed instructions and information about “PNOI” are available at https://pnoe.euc.ac.cy/.
We
encourage the public to share this initiative with family and friends: the more people who participate, the better and more timely the picture of respiratory infections in the community will be—which is particularly relevant as we approach the winter season. Just one minute a week is enough, and it makes a real difference.
