On August 17, Dean Voyles sent out an email inviting Covenant students, staff and faculty to participate in a study conducted by the Mayo Clinic. The study is measuring the prevalence of COVID-19 on college campuses by taking serology, or antibody, tests at the beginning and end of a six to eight week period of time. Here's an update.
According to Voyles, the clinic initially came to Covenant through a connection to President Halvorson. Halvorson knew Dr. Gregory Poland, Director of the Mayo Vaccine Research Group and one of seven doctors in Covenant's Medical Advisory Group to plan for a safe reopening. Voyles said, "In July, he [Dr. Poland] invited us to participate in the prevalence study for which he was researching."
Prevalence is an epidemiological term that refers to the proportion of a population sick with a disease at a particular time. Dr. Poland's research study is assessing the prevalence of COVID-19 at Covenant College for the beginning and the end of the semester. Alongside the data Covenant has collected about positive cases, the information about prevalence can be used to understand the spread of asymptomatic COVID-19, the form of disease that infects someone but does not cause symptoms.
In order to provide data for the prevalence of COVID-19 on campus, participants have submitted a small sample of blood. This allows the researchers to test the blood for the presence of antibodies, which are defense molecules that can protect the body from disease for a period of time. The researchers will cross-check each of these results with what Covenant knows about students who have tested positive or have shown symptoms. If a sample of blood shows that COVID-specific antibodies are present but the participant has not otherwise been sick showing symptoms, this is treated as an asymptomatic infection.
Readers may have wondered why the research study includes a screening for influenza (A and B), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and other seasonal coronaviruses. According to Principle Investigator Dr. Poland, this is a matter of routine, as the testing panel for COVID-19 also includes tests for these other viruses. The results of this additional screening are not relevant to the chief aim of the study in COVID-19 prevalence.
Covenant College will receive results of the study relevant to our campus once the second round of antibody testing is complete. The official study results will likely be published in a vaccine journal.
As a final note, readers should know that research requesting the participation of the Covenant College community must be reviewed and approved by the Institutional Research Board (IRB) before proceeding. Voyles said of the study this week, "If approved by the IRB, then students, staff, and faculty should have confidence to participate if they so choose."
Readers seeking more information on the IRB and what approval entails should contact Dr. Washburn, Chair of the IRB, at david.washburn@covenant.edu. Readers interested in specifics of the study should contact Scott Feeder, one of the study coordinators, at feeder.scott@mayo.edu.