The scientists, based at university and NHS laboratories will look at using biomedical tests and data to improve healthcare for COVID-19 patients by predicting severe health outcomes and developing a saliva-based test for people who are asymptomatic or those who have mild symptoms, in order to create more reliable population-level COVID-19 estimates.
As hospitals continue to admit people with COVID-19, there is an urgent need to improve patient care and outcomes, particularly through early identification of those at higher risk of complications. Therefore, the projects will be completed within 12 months.
Dr Adrian Shields from the University’s Clinical Immunology Service, who is a member of the ACB was awarded £20,000 for a project that aims to measure the antibody response in the saliva of mild and asymptomatic people, which, it is hoped, could contribute to better quality estimates of the level of COVID-19 within a population. Knowing the level of COVID-19 within a population can guide public health policy during the pandemic.
Dr Shields said: “I’m delighted that the ACB are supporting our work. We have already collected thousands of blood serum and saliva samples from hospital and community-based health care workers who have been at very high risk of exposure to the virus causing COVID-19.