This is the “first cross-sectional study” of Covid-19 promoted by the National Health Institute - Dr. Ricardo Jorge (INSA) and “aims to monitor the evolution of immunity against the new coronavirus in the Portuguese population”, explained António Lacerda Sales.
According to the Secretary of State, in order to carry out the study, which “is already off the ground”, all 17 hospitals in the national network of hospitals have already been contacted, including those in the autonomous regions of Madeira and the Azores, and the 105 collection stations for clinical analysis throughout the national territory.
“Materials for blood sampling and questionnaires for data collection will be delivered to the sites by the beginning of next week” and then “the blood and data collection phase will begin”, said António Lacerda Sales.
All blood tests for antibody determination and data analysis will be carried out by the Department of Epidemiology and Infectious Diseases at INSA, he said.