The US Department of Veterans Affairs Science and Health Initiative to Combat Infectious and Emerging Life-Threatening Diseases (VA SHIELD): A biorepository addressing national health threats


 
 
 The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, caused by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has demonstrated the need to share data and biospecimens broadly to optimize clinical outcomes for US military Veterans.
 
 
 
 In response, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) established VA SHIELD (Science and Health Initiative to Combat Infectious and Emerging Life-threatening Diseases), a comprehensive biorepository of specimens and clinical data from affected Veterans to advance research, public health surveillance, and improve diagnostic and therapeutic capabilities.
 
 
 
 VA SHIELD now comprises 12 sites collecting de-identified biospecimens from US Veterans affected by SARS-CoV-2. In addition, two biorepository sites, a data processing center, and a coordinating center have been established under the direction of the VA Office of Research and Development. Phase 1 of VA SHIELD comprises 34,157 samples. Of these, 83.8% had positive tests for SARS-CoV-2, with the remainder serving as contemporaneous controls. The samples include nasopharyngeal swabs (57.9%), plasma (27.9%), and sera (12.5%). The associated clinical and demographic information available permits the evaluation of biological data in the context of patient demographics, clinical experience and management, vaccinations, and comorbidities.
 
 
 
 VA SHIELD is representative of US national diversity with a significant potential to impact national healthcare. VA SHIELD will support future projects designed to better understand SARS-CoV-2 and other emergent health care crises. To the extent possible, VA SHIELD will facilitate the discovery of diagnostics and therapeutics intended to diminish COVID-19 morbidity and mortality and to reduce the impact of new emerging threats to the health of US Veterans and populations worldwide.
