Health Ministry Launches Research Aimed at Detecting Coronavirus Antibodies

Bratislava, November 3 (TASR) – The Health Ministry has launched research focused on detecting antibodies against novel coronavirus in people living in selected areas, TASR has learnt from the ministry’s communications department.

The aim is to determine the level of immunity to COVID-19 in the areas concerned. The ministry by means of the seroepidemiological study also wants to gauge the regional and overall epidemic situation in Slovakia and its likely further development and to create data for optimising the testing strategy and monitoring the environment.

A total of 4,800 people aged 12 and over with permanent or temporary residence in the given region who haven’t been vaccinated against coronavirus will take part in the study. They will be divided up based on where they live, with Bratislava, Komarno (Nitra region), Povazska Bystrica (Trencin region), Cadca (Zilina region), Kosice, Kosice-surroundings, Rimavska Sobota, Lucenec (both Banska Bystrica region) and Kezmarok (Presov region) chosen as the locations.

The participants were recruited by a working group in cooperation with municipal offices. The collection of samples and data will be carried out during a single working day. The individual locations were selected based on the Health Ministry’s data on coronavirus incidence rates.