Long-term study launched to analyze the effects of COVID-19

The CUNY Institute for Implementation Science and Public Health (ISPH) and CUNY Graduate School of Public Health (CUNY SPH) and Health Policy have partnered to launch Communities, Households and SARS/COV-2 Epidemiology (CHASING COVID).

The study, in which more than 7,000 individuals will participate, includes over 1,700 frontline workers such as nurses and food service employees.

Participants will be contacted once a month for at least six months and asked questions regarding their daily activities. Results will be used to study variables such as the effects of social distancing, COVID-19 symptoms, and economical and social impact.

“We need to understand the impact of the public health response to control the coronavirus pandemic,” said McKaylee Robertson, MD, the study’s lead author and CUNY ISPH investigator. “This study will rapidly contribute to our understanding and allow us to monitor changes over time.”

Participants will also be asked to submit dried blood spot specimens via mail during months one and three. These samples will be used for antibody testing when an accurate serologic test is available.

“Physical distancing regulations are already being relaxed, and they will be followed by enhanced testing and subsequent contact tracing and quarantine,” said Denis Nash, MD, ISPH Executive Director and Distinguished Professor of Epidemiology and Principal Investigator of the CHASING COVID study. “We believe the knowledge generated will be critical for those responding to this pandemic but also to inform the response to future pandemics.”