Immune response to SARS-CoV-2 infection (COCO) [COVID-19]
Research type
Research Study
Full title
An observational study to examine the clinical utility and acceptance of SARS-CoV-2 serology testing in convalescent patients to establish their role in identifying individuals with prior exposure to infection
IRAS ID
282525
Contact name
Alex Richter
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Birmingham
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 6 months, 26 days
Research summary
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a novel virus that has resulted in a 2020 pandemic of coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19). As this is a novel virus, humans have no protective immunity. \n\nThe spectrum of symptoms and severity of COVID-19 disease appears to be broad. The majority of individuals suffer a mild respiratory illness, some individuals display no symptoms at all, whilst a few experience life-threatening, potentially fatal illness. Unfortunately, the symptoms of COVID-19 are indistinguishable without a test from many other seasonal infections, like influenza. This has led to extreme pressure on health-care systems due to staff shortages through illness and social distancing measures implemented by the government to control the spread of infection. \n\nThis study is focused on health care workers who have had an illness consistent with COVID-19. We will also have the potential to recruit family members if recruitment numbers allow. We are going to offer an antibody test to the participant which tells someone whether they have been exposed to the virus and mounted an immune response against it. We will also ask for blood and saliva samples so that we can investigate the protective immune response to this virus. This is important for designing vaccine studies and developing therapeutic agents in the future. We will follow up participants for 6 months to see whether further infection develops.\n\n
REC name
London - Camden & Kings Cross Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
20/HRA/1817
Date of REC Opinion
22 Apr 2020
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion