The European University at St. Petersburg, in collaboration with the Scandinavia clinic, has begun a non-interventional observational study of the spread of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in the blood serum (seroprevalence) in the population of St. Petersburg. The study will evaluate how many people in St. Petersburg have already had the new coronavirus and what patterns of behavior are associated with the fact of the disease. To do this, a survey is conducted, after which blood is taken from residents and tested for antibodies in the blood serum (special markers of an infection). The research methodology provides a representative sample at all stages of the study from the questionnaire to the test. Residents of St. Petersburg will participate in the study only by individual invitation, the results of the study are anonymous.
Researchers at EUSP are responsible for the design of the study. The medical part is provided by the Scandinavia clinic. For testing, one of the clinic's departments is used in which people who are already suspected of having an infection are not being treated or diagnosed.
The study was registered in two international clinical trial registries: ClinicalTrials.gov and ISRCTN registry.
Photo: Belova59 / pixabay.com