Scientists will study the true prevalence of coronavirus in Lithuania: selected people will receive invitations to donate blood



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A molecular test capable of detecting the genetic material of the virus shows whether a person is infected with a coronavirus.

At that time, its prevalence in society will be determined by serological tests for COVID-19, which show the presence of antibodies in the body. In short, such tests will show the percentage of people studied who have already had COVID-19. This test may come as a surprise, as some coronavirus carriers are unaware that they are sick because they do not experience any symptoms.

You will receive permission to study

It was previously planned that the population study would start on July 10, but its start may take at least a little while: the Lithuanian Bioethics Committee (LBK) has not yet issued a permit to conduct such a study. Admittedly, committee representatives say permission is only a matter of time.

How 15 minutes Vilma Lukaševičienė, LBK Chief Specialist, said on Monday that the Committee’s biomedical research expert group widely supported the implementation of this research.

Scanpix / AP Photo / Tests conducted in South Korea

Scanpix / AP Photo / Tests conducted in South Korea

“The permit will be issued to you as soon as investigators present the revised documents,” he said.

Representatives of the Ministry of Health (SAM) 15 minutes They stated that they had nothing to comment on this research and suggested asking the institutions that would carry it out: the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences (LSMU) and the Vilna University Life Science Center (VU GMC). .

Photo by Lukas Balandis / 15min / Aurelija Žvirblienė

Photo by Lukas Balandis / 15min / Aurelija Žvirblienė

VVU GMC Professor Aurelija Žvirblienė 15 minutes He said the investigation would take place throughout Lithuania.

Health Minister Aurelius Veryga previously said that it is planned to select people through the Records Center.

It is estimated that up to a third of those 20,000 will agree to participate in the population survey.

According to A.Žvirblienė, the people selected for the study will have to reflect a certain sector of the population: they are divided into age groups, the place of residence is taken into account.

“The regions are selected differently to reflect Lithuania. And to reflect the areas where there was a large number of infections and where there was no case. Epidemiologists have drawn up a great plan that covers all of Lithuania,” he said.

According to A.Žvirblienė, people over the age of 18 will participate in this study. The researcher explained that a separate LBK permit is required to study younger people.

Due to the fact that a serological test requires blood sampling, it was decided to perform it in medical institutions.

According to the interviewee, about 20 thousand people will be invited to the study. people, they will be asked to come to the local polyclinic.

At least 7,000 of all guests are expected to agree to the test.

“Probably not everyone will agree, because it will mean coming to the polyclinic, donating blood (…) Perhaps a third of those 20,000 are expected to agree to participate in the population study. If they both agreed, it is believed that it would reflect our Lithuanian population, ”said A.Žvirblienė.

The result: in ten minutes

According to the interlocutor, the so-called rapid tests will be used for the examination, because when using them there is no need to wait for a long response and there is no need to take venous blood: the capillary of the finger is sufficient.

“I think a person will wait and find out,” asked A.Žvirblienė when researchers could wait for answers.

According to her, the result of the rapid test is clear after about ten minutes.

Invitations to explore are likely to be received in the mail, at least as previously planned.

According to the interlocutor, invitations to investigate residents are likely to receive mail, at least as previously provided.

He could not say whether the names of those who would be invited to participate in the study were already known; He suggested asking LSMU representatives about this and other things, but Mindaugas Stankūnas, a university professor and project manager, didn’t want to say anything until Veryga

He only assured that 20 thousand. Human research is not planned, but how much has been specifically planned has not yet been specified. According to the researcher, the details of the study should finally be made clear this week.



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