Into Covid-19 transmission and immunity launched

UCL has launched Virus Watch, inviting 42,500 people to take part in one of the largest and most comprehensive studies of Covid-19 in the UK to study the next phase of the pandemic. Participants will complete regular online symptom surveys and have the option to download a movement tracking app to understand how activities outside of the house affect risk of infection. A subset of 10,000 will have blood tests to look for antibodies and will submit nose and throat swabs when they are ill allowing the study to assess how long antibodies provide protection against the virus for. Lead author, Professor Andrew Hayward (UCL Epidemiology & Health Care) said: "Virus Watch is the world's most comprehensive community study of Covid-19 and we want people from all walks of life and ethnic backgrounds to join. The findings will help us understand how the virus spreads through the community, why the disease disproportionately affects some groups and how our immune system protects us from disease. "As scientists we have lots of questions that this study will help answer but we also want participants to suggest their own questions. Covid-19 isn't going away any time soon, as lockdown is eased and we move through the summer to prepare for what could be a very difficult winter we need to learn as much we can to prepare for future waves.