FRIDAY, 10 JULY, 2020

For immediate release

NHS Tayside staff help develop COVID-19 antibody testing

Staff in NHS Tayside have been donating blood samples to a COVID-19 antibody research study being carried out by microbiology and blood science teams in Tayside.

Over the coming weeks, microbiology and blood sciences teams in Tayside will be evaluating the performance of several COVID-19 antibody tests as part of a research study called MATCH.

Antibody tests are not currently being used for public testing in Scotland but are used to detect antibodies to the COVID-19 virus to see if you have previously had the virus. The test works by taking a blood sample and testing for the presence of antibodies to see if you have developed an immune response to the virus.

Antibody tests differ to virus swab tests, which test to see if you currently have the virus.

There is no strong evidence yet to suggest that those who have had the virus develop long-lasting immunity which would prevent them from getting the virus again. The value of antibody tests is currently limited to answering the question of whether someone has had the virus or not, and providing data and a greater understanding on the spread of the virus.

Professor of Respiratory Research, James Chalmers said, “Being involved in the MATCH research study is a fantastic opportunity for Tayside.

“Huge thanks go to staff in Tayside who have responded very positively to the trial. We had over 1000 staff offering to take part in the trial within a few hours of the call for volunteers. The first results have been released to staff and the feedback has been really positive. Staff really appreciate having access to this test.

“While the results of an antibody test will not allow people to make any changes to their behaviour, such as easing social distancing measures, there’s clear value in knowing whether NHS workers have had the virus, and in collecting data on the test results.

“These tests will undergo extensive validation as soon as they are delivered to ensure that performance is consistent with targets set out by UK government. This validation work will be done in conjunction with other laboratories across NHS Scotland and is being centrally coordinated, along with other parameters such as interpretation and in which patient groups this testing should be deployed.”

Contact:

NHS Tayside Communications

(01382) 424138