Introduction

Summary

As the COVID-19 pandemic hit the world in early 2020, researchers had to react. Discussions of research methods and planning for ongoing and near-future research swiftly turned to adapting research methods for a locked-down world. As the pandemic response and measures to control its spread continued into the medium and longer term, it became apparent that many research methods, especially the ‘big three’ most commonly used methods of questionnaires, interviews and focus groups, could hardly be conducted in the same ways as they had been before the pandemic, and therefore had to be adapted and rethought. The pandemic presented researchers with many challenges – and some opportunities. These included opportunities to reassess the utility of more conventional methods in unusual circumstances, and to try out less familiar methods that could meet both existing and new research needs.

The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 is only one of a number of possible global emergencies that may occur due to the outbreak of an infectious pathogen like the novel SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. Indeed, the global pandemic preparedness body warned in September 2019 that there was ‘a very real threat of a rapidly moving, highly lethal pandemic of a respiratory pathogen killing 50 to 80 million people and wiping out nearly 5% of the world's economy’ (Global Preparedness Monitoring Board, 2019, 6). ‘Global’ emergencies may also arise due to natural disasters such as earthquakes, tsunamis or volcanic eruptions, or humancaused disasters such as major industrial accidents, conflicts and mass displacements of people, with effects that are severe and extensive and carry transboundary implications. Global emergencies are a perennial threat. Research is needed in such urgent and challenging circumstances, and non-emergencyrelated research may have important justifications to continue. However, the conduct of research during global emergencies raises complex practical and ethical challenges (Nuffield Council on Bioethics, 2020).

Researchers around the world have responded to the new challenges in diverse, thoughtful and creative ways: adapting data collection methods, rethinking researcher–researched relationships and giving new consideration to critical needs. These include the need to foster care and resilience for research participants, among researchers and in researcher–researched and research–community relationships.