Introduction

Drs. Anne-Claude Gingras and Pamela Goodwin are leading a new study to evaluate the prevalence of COVID-19 among defined cohorts of otherwise asymptomatic people. Using technology developed here by the labs of Drs. Gingras, Bremner and Wrana, they are proposing to assess the occurrence of antibodies to COVID-19 as well as test for current presence of virus using home-based collection of finger prick blood and saliva. 

Participants are in the study for 6 months with blood collection every 2 months and saliva collection every 2 weeks. Although we encourage all participants to perform self-collection of blood samples, we will offer venipuncture for those who are unwilling or unable to perform self-collection for all or a portion of the blood samples. We offer training for those who would like some help with their initial collection and we have expanded our sample collection/drop-off days to Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday!

We are still recruiting and would like to invite you to participate in this study; the study is open to all who work at, or have a relationship with, LTRI/Sinai Health or OICR. Other participants may be approved by the study Steering Committee

Participation is entirely voluntary and your decision to participate or not will not have any impact on your current or future employment or academic status at LTRI/Sinai Health/OICR or on your relationships with or care at Sinai Health.

If you are found to have a positive saliva test, you will be required to self-isolate and attend a COVID assessment center for further evaluation and employees will be required to be cleared by Occupational Health and Safety personnel prior to return to work.  

The identity of subjects is NOT known to the study scientists, with the exception of Dr. Goodwin, and only in case of a positive saliva test, where the participant will be contacted and referred to a COVID Assessment Center and Occupational Health for a re-test. 

Participants can log-in from anywhere to check their test results, if they wish to receive them. The results of the virus and antibody tests will be available in about a week (or sooner) after collection.

Further details and instructions for those who are interested in learning more about the study an information presentation can be found at https://www.lunenfeld.ca/shawl. To join the study, please click on this link shawl.lunenfeld.ca from within LTRI or via VPN. 

If you have any questions about the study, you can contact the study administration team at shawl@lunenfeld.ca or Linda Bennett (416-586-4800, ext. 2426 or cell: 647-885-0952)