The aim of the national COVIDprog study is to investigate the impact of different individual factors on the course of coronavirus infection, particularly among those who develop the severe form of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The study examines the progress of coronavirus infection in different individuals and what symptoms it causes.

Major individual variation has been observed in the course of the respiratory infections caused by the new coronavirus. It is important to explore why some people develop a more severe form of the COVID-19 disease than others. The results of this study will be used to plan the future treatment and prevention of the COVID-19 infections.

Who will be invited to participate?

Persons with a respiratory tract infection whose symptoms may be caused by a coronavirus COVID-19 infection and who have had to seek hospital treatment or examinations or persons who otherwise have a connection to the hospital district because of their symptoms, are invited to participate in the study.

The control group will include persons tested negative for COVID-19.

How is the study carried out?

We ask participants to fill in a short health questionnaire in order to gather information about their general health and lifestyle.

A blood sample is collected from the participants and analysed in the laboratory to investigate the severity of the infection and general physiological homeostasis of the patient. A DNA sample is extracted from the blood sample to determine the possible effect of genetic factors on the course of the corona virus infection.

Further, health status of the study participants will be followed by acquiring access to relevant national registries as well as medical records collected during the hospital treatment, including clinical measurements as well as laboratory and X-ray examinations.

Who is carrying out the study?

The COVIDprog study, led by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), is a national collaborative research project contributed by all Finnish university hospitals, Terveystalo, the Finnish Red Cross Blood Service, and FIMM Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland (University of Helsinki). In addition, all the Finnish biobanks and the Finnish Biobank Cooperative FINBB are participating in this study.

Further information

Further information for the study is available on the website, at thl.fi/covidprog