ONS Covid Infection Survey

[Dilbertian]

We have been invited to participate in this survey.

Some of the purposes of the survey are to find out how many people have previously had Covid, with or without symptoms, and how many have had a strong response to vaccination.

We would be having regular PCR tests for virus from the throat and nose. We would only be invited to have fingerprick blood tests if we had a positive PCR test.

But surely to answer the previous questions, we would need to have fingerprick blood tests at the begin of the study, before any confirmed infection?

So I'm curious: has anyone else been invited to participate in this study, and been told they will have a fingerprick test at the start of their participation?

We've been in this since the start. They will ask if you think you've had covid, most likely.

Even if they ask you to do the fingerprick, you don't have to do it.

I don't mind doing the fingerprint test. I actually want to do it, as I'd love to know whether I've had it.

I'm just wondering how they will find out who has already had it without symptoms, or who has had a strong response to the vaccine, if they don't test blood before any positive reaction.

For people who've been in the study since earlier on, bloods are done monthly alongside the PCR. Don't know why they've changed it for new recruits but I'm sure they know what they're doing - I guess they're extending the study to specifically look at how the presence of antibodies changes over a certain duration post-infection. It should all be in the information.

We have our bloods done monthly, but they weren't done last month. I wonder if thats's why

We have bloods monthly including last week. Not sure why they wouldn’t do it every month, but as someone said, I’m sure they know what they are doing.

It was interesting I got antibodies after my first vaccination, DH’s antibodies didn’t show up until after his second vaccination.

Same as PP, I've been doing the study since 2020 and started doing the bloods in April alongside the PCRs. I had antibodies after my first vaccination in May, went on to catch Covid in August. I had my latest test at the end of September.

I don't understand why everyone joining wouldn't be invited to establish baseline information. I wonder whether the idea of regular fingerpricks puts people off joining. Maybe they think people are more likely to be accepting of these tests if they're asked to do them once they have joined and feel more invested in the study.

We accepted a random-household invite last December, to to the ONS covid research monthly throat swab tests. We joined because it was the only useful thing we could safely "do" to help in the pandemic without exposing ourselves to any risk. Round about March we were asked if we would also provide finger-prick bloods for antibody testing, and agreed. We do the two tests together at home once a month, only takes minutes. Someone delivers the kits at home and collects them. Participants also answer a medical questionnaire about their history, current health, type of social contacts etc. The test results arrive a week later by email. Ours have always been "no covid infection; antibodies positive". It all runs like clockwork, very efficient.

Anyone can look up (free) reams of medical research from the survey.

www.ndm.ox.ac.uk/covid-19/covid-19-infection-survey/results

I have been doing infection since Dec 2020 and antibody tests since April 2021. I find it fascinating!

I get the results separately and the antibody results always take a while.

@Dilbertian

I don't understand why everyone joining wouldn't be invited to establish baseline information. I wonder whether the idea of regular fingerpricks puts people off joining. Maybe they think people are more likely to be accepting of these tests if they're asked to do them once they have joined and feel more invested in the study.

Both tests are entirely optional and voluntary, there's no pressure whatever. If someone doesn't fancy the blood test, or changes their mind, they just stop.

Our family (2 adults 2 dc) have been doing the pcr tests since last December and I have done the finger prick tests too since June. DH cba to do the blood tests and the kids are too young. We are each paid £25 in vouchers to participate and it has enabled us to buy lots of 'fun stuff' over the past year that we otherwise would not have had the spare cash to buy (wetsuits and bodyboards from decathlon, and comfy camping kit). I would have done it for free because I'm a science nerd and like contributing but the vouchers are a nice bonus. The kids had covid in the summer and returned a positive pcr 2 weeks after infection which caused some issues as we were due to go on holiday and got told to isolate, but it was all resolved via public health agency after a few hours. They were negative the next month. Me and Dh didn't catch it.
They maybe now have enough data on the baseline and would only want to start collecting following infection to see whether different variants` antibodies wear off over different timescales or something?

Everyone at home has decided to join the study.