RAPID-19 [COVID-19]

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Rapid diagnostics, antibody testing and host response in children with Covid-19 (RAPID-19).

• IRAS ID

  282617

• Contact name

  Thomas Waterfield

• Contact email

  t.waterfield@qub.ac.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  Queen's University Belfast

• Duration of Study in the UK

  0 years, 8 months, 19 days

• Research summary

  Summary of Research
  Very little is known regarding the symptoms and signs of Covid-19 disease in children. In particular we do not know how many children are asymptomatic carriers of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and what the symptoms and signs of mild Covid-19 disease are. We also do not know why some, previously well, children develop severe disease. Research is required to understand the symptoms and signs of infection, the spectrum of disease and the host immune response in those with severe disease. Research to validate rapid diagnostic tests is also required.\n\nThe aims of this projects are to (i) validate the performance of a rapid molecular test for detecting SARS-CoV-2 in children (ii) follow healthy children through the seroconversion process to better understand the signs and symptoms of Covid-19 (iii) understand the immune response in children with severe disease. \n

  Summary of Results
  1,000 children from Northern Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales, known as ‘COVID Warriors’ have had their levels of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies measured during the first wave of the pandemic and repeated again two months after initial recruitment.

  The study is led by Dr Tom Waterfield from the Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine at Queen’s University Belfast, in partnership with the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust Northern Ireland.

  The aim of the study, was to assess the number of children who have had COVID-19, the symptomatology of infection and the kinetics of the antibody response in children.

  The researchers have found that antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 persisted beyond two months in all children. Unlike other studies, this is one of the first to report on follow up blood results in children and provides an early insight into how the antibody response evolves over time.

  Dr Tom Waterfield lead on the study said: “These results show that the antibody response to COVID-19 infection in children seems to be holding firm at two months and that antibodies are likely to persist for some time. This provides renewed hope that children may develop a lasting immunity to infection.”

  Health and Social Care Research & Development Division (HSC R&D Division) of the Public Health Agency plays an ongoing role in supporting the conduct of high-quality health and social care research and has provided funding to support the delivery of this important study.

  The study is supported by funding from HSC R&D Division, Public Health Agency, The Belfast Health and Social Care Trust .

• REC name

  London - Chelsea Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  20/HRA/1731

• Date of REC Opinion

  8 Apr 2020

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion