The CARE Study: Characterizing Antibody Response to Emerging COVID-19. Please note that this study is no longer recruiting particpants.
Consent can be completed online using the following link:
Recruiting Participants
Blood and saliva samples are needed from individuals in BC with known or suspected COVID-19 to validate antibody-testing strategies, to learn more about the antibody-specific immune response to COVID-19, and to inform public health decision-making. Please note that this study is no longer recruiting particpants.
To date, COVID-19 infection has been diagnosed primarily through laboratory tests that detect viral RNA. These diagnostic tests reveal whether someone is currently infected but do not reveal critical information about the development of immunity, which requires analysis of the antibodies generated by the immune system after infection. More information is urgently needed about the development, duration, and strength of the antibody responses that lead to immunity following COVID-19 infection.
This project will evaluate four new commercial antibody tests to determine which ones can reliably detect different types of antibodies that can provide clues about the immune response to COVID-19. These tests will be used to profile antibody production in both newly infected and previously infected health care workers and others over three months. Findings will reveal how quickly people develop an immune response and how robust this protection is against repeated exposures they may encounter after recovery. This antibody data can be used to immediately inform guidelines for essential workers at high risk of COVID-19 exposure, including return to work policies and front-line deployment strategies.
VCH Project Lead: Althea Hayden
BCCH Project Lead: David Goldfarb
UBC Collaborators: Victor Leung (Providence Health Care) and Shazia Masud (Fraser Health Authority)
Funding: Genome BC Rapid Response Funding for COVID-19 Research and Innovation Projects, co-funded with BC Centre for Disease Control
The study is recruiting people with confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis who have fully recovered from infection. Those who have been infected or have been vaccinated are also eligible.
Study volunteers must be over the age of 18 and reside in British Columbia.
Volunteers must complete an online consent form.
COVID-19 positive individuals will be asked to submit blood and saliva samples, up to 7 visits over 3 months, at participating collection sites.
Participants will be asked if they consent to researchers accessing routine medical information that is collected pertaining to COVID-19 infection (age, sex, symptoms, mode of transmission, test results, health care worker category, level of medical care required).
A follow-up survey willbe emailed to participants at the end of the study asking if and when they were vaccinated for COVID-19.
Consent can be completed online using the following link:
PDF copies of the consent forms are also available here:
To have blood collected for the CARE study, please complete the
e-consent form and then you will be mailed paper forms required for blood collections.
You will also be mailed materials and instructions for self-collection and packaging of saliva / mouthwash samples, which you will need to bring to your blood collection appointment.
- BC Children’s Hospital: Tuesday and Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Appointments made with study coordinator. Directions.
- St. Paul’s Hospital: Monday-Friday 7:00 am to 6:00 pm; Weekends 10:00 am to 3:00 pm; Closed on statutory holidays. Appointments need to be made online in advance. Directions.
- Surrey Memorial Hospital: Monday - Friday, 7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Appointments are first come first serve. Directions.
- Abbotsford Regional Hospital: Monday - Friday, 7:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., Appointments are first come first serve. Directions.