Health-related outcomes ⏵ Coronavirus COVID-19 ⏵ Coronavirus infection study
Description
This study aimed to enable research into the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on subsequent health outcomes (i.e. 'long COVID').The UK Biobank self-test antibody study (see Category 998) used antibody lateral flow tests (LFTs) for home testing which did not distinguish between antibodies produced following infection and those produced following vaccination. In order to identify those vaccinated individuals with a positive LFT result who have been previously infected with SARS-CoV-2, laboratory assay of specific (i.e. nucleocapsid) antibodies was required. Unlike spike antibodies that are produced following both infection and vaccination (and which the LFT detects), nucleocapsid antibodies are only produced in response to infection. This follow-on study therefore involved asking consented eligible participants to collect a capillary blood sample and post it to a laboratory for analysis.
For more detailed information see Resource 4600 for the Overview document describing the coronavirus infection study.
