A study into the prevalence of COVID-19 in Indiana is about to enter its third phase, and State Health Commissioner Dr. Kris Box is urging selected residents to take part.
“So if you get a postcard from the State Department of Health and Fairbanks addressed to you or your child, know that you were randomly selected to participate,” Box said. “If you receive a postcard like the one on the slide, please don’t throw it away. Please participate in the study. Get tested because your results could help inform strategies to address COVID in our coming months.”
Box said Wednesday that the third phase of testing is expected to start at the end of the month and go into the first week of October. It’s part of a four-phase study by the IU Fairbanks School of Public Health. Researchers are tracking the spread of COVID-19 by testing representative samples of Hoosiers for active coronavirus, as well as antibodies to show whether they’ve already had it.
“We’ve learned a lot about COVID during these first two phases, especially about asymptomatic individuals,” Box explained. “As you recall, about 45 percent of people who tested positive in the Fairbanks study had no symptoms at the time they tested positive. Our hope is that we’ll continue to build on that knowledge in this third phase.”
Box said this round of testing will also include children as young as five, but those under 12 will not get an antibody test. Participation was a bit of a challenge in the study’s first two phases. The fourth and final phase is set for next spring.
