The Diabetes and Metabolism Unit at Southmead has a long history of measuring antibodies. Over the last three years we have focused on a particular type of assay which works on very small samples of blood. We have also good systems for sending small tubes by post which allow people to take a small blood sample from their finger and post it safely back to the laboratory for antibody testing. Since the recent COVID-19 pandemic we do not know how many people have been infected by the virus and this is a very important question. We have been working closely with a research group in Milan who have developed a test to work out who has been infected with Covid-19 because they have antibodies to the virus. Initial tests suggest that this assay works well on very small blood samples. We are now setting up this assay in Bristol and are requesting to access some samples from ALSPAC for
1. a University of Bristol study to test different assay platforms using the same samples
2. to prospectively and safely collect low volume samples by post and use the assay to estimate the infection rate in the general population and link this to questionnaire based data regarding symptoms.
This study should allow us to work out quickly and reliably how many people in the ALSPAC population have had COVID-19.