CHIP - COVID 19 Health Professional Impact Study [COVID-19]
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A pilot assessment of the COVID 19 antibody status and associated factors, in individuals employed by a large acute NHS trust during the Coronavirus pandemic
IRAS ID
287432
Contact name
S Basu
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 2 months, 30 days
Research summary
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a huge impact on healthcare resources and staff in the UK. Understanding the key risk factors associated with infection amongst healthcare workers is essential for future pandemic response plans. Currently there are scarce data relating to the infection rates and associated factors amongst healthcare workers in the UK.\n\nStudies of infection rates in healthcare workers have largely relied on the real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test to date and it appears that Healthcare workers are twice as likely to succumb to Coronavirus infection, when compared to the general population and those from Black and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds appear to be particularly at risk.\n\nCurrently there is no evidence that the presence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies provides seasonal or long term immunity to future infection.\n\nTherefore, this study aims to understand the current level of SARS-CoV-2 antibody positivity and try to determine the likely risk to healthcare workers in the UK to COVID-19 infection. We hope to find out whether certain individual characteristics will have an impact on likelihood of infection susceptibility and antibody response and determine the impact of the presence of antibodies on the likelihood of future clinical infection over a 12 month period.\n\nThe study involves an initial online survey and linkage to the recent antibody test, then a further online survey in 6 and 12 months’ time. The data obtained will be linked to data that the HR holds.\n\nParticipants also have the option to be part of a sub-study whereby another antibody test will be conducted at 6 and 12 months’ time and linked to the data collected. \n
REC name
East of England - Cambridge South Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
20/EE/0201
Date of REC Opinion
19 Aug 2020
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion