This is a pioneering study on the immune response in the Hospital's healthcare staff and a large group of patients, as well as in the reference population in the city of Sabadell and the Vallès Occidental.
From the samples analyzed it will be possible to determine which part of the population has developed immunity to Covid-19 and assess the degree of antibody response to guide on future protection to deal with infection.
Knowing the serological status is a great opportunity to enrich the scientific knowledge about covid-19 and the immune response it is eliciting in the population. It will also allow to know the real proportion of cases that have created antibodies, both in diagnosed patients and in other undetected cases for not having symptoms. This knowledge, in addition, it will make it possible to determine the need or not for preventive treatments and the establishment of strategies for prevention and possible vaccination.
The study has already begun in its first phase, aimed at the design, creation of databases, logistics, obtaining samples and setting up serological tests. The second phase will be based on the collection and serological analysis of the samples and, in the final phase, the analysis of the data will be performed. The final result of the research is expected to be made public during the first quarter of 2021.
A total of nine researchers form the team responsible for the research, which is made up of: Gemma Navarro, from the Epidemiology area; Manel Cervantes and Marta Navarro, from the Infectious Diseases Service; Pilar Peña and Rosa Serrano, from the Occupational Health Service; Juan Francisco Delgado and Germán Julia, from the Department of Immunology and Isabel Sanfeliu and Mateu Espasa, from the Microbiology Area.
In just a few months, more than two million people worldwide have been affected by this pandemic. Many questions about the infection remain open and it is crucial to find answers to these unknowns. But it is equally important to anticipate new pandemics in the future and equip ourselves with the scientific and health tools that allow us to deal with them in appropriate conditions.
Parc Taulí Hospital and the Banco Sabadell Foundation join forces once again in this initiative on Covid-19, because they share the conviction that investing in scientific research is a necessity and a bet on the future, in a safe way. to ensure a better, safer and more prosperous tomorrow for all humanity.
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