Enhancing the School Infection Study using electronic health data
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Enhancing The Utilisation Of COVID-19 Testing In Schools Studies: The Joint Analysis Of The COVID-19 Schools Infection Survey (SIS) And The COVID-19 Mapping And Mitigation In Schools (CoMMinS) Study
IRAS ID
313140
Contact name
Rachel Denholm
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Bristol
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 8 months, 31 days
Research summary
Most children and young people who get ‘COVID-19’ (caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection) are not very ill. However, a large number still have symptoms, such as headaches and tiredness, weeks after they had COVID-19, known as ‘long-COVID’.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, which produces guidance to doctors on long-COVID, hasn’t specified what the symptoms of long-COVID are. It is also unknown which groups of children and young people are most likely to get long-COVID. For example, the risk of developing long-COVID may be different depending on whether or not short-term symptoms are experienced, which are themselves poorly characterized. Additionally, it is unclear how many children and young people with symptoms are not seen by their GP.
As very little is known about long-COVID in children and young people, and it is very difficult to know how many may be affected, it is difficult for doctors to advise and treat those who are ill with the condition.
Our research project will use data from the nationwide Schools Infection Survey for England, alongside data from GP and hospital visits, to help answer these questions.
Through this work we will be able to help doctors better diagnose long-COVID in children and young people, and see which groups of children and young people are more likely to get long-COVID. We will also be able to see if some children and young people are more likely to see a GP with long-COVID then others. Information will be produced for families, such as on the most common symptoms of long-COVID, and how many children with long-COVID likely recover within 12 weeks.
The study is part of the Data and Connectivity National Core Study, led by Health Data Research UK in partnership with the Office for National Statistics and funded by UK Research and Innovation.
REC name
East of England - Cambridge South Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
23/EE/0013
Date of REC Opinion
2 Feb 2023
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion