Volunteers needed for county coronavirus study

Do you live in Cape Girardeau County and can you spare a sample of your blood?

If so, you may qualify for a study to determine how widespread COVID-19 is among county residents.

The Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center needs approximately 2,000 county residents for the study, which is designed to measure the prevalence of the coronavirus among county residents including those who may have been infected and didn't realize it.

Those selected to be part of the study will represent approximately 2 to 3% of the county's population, enough to allow health officials to estimate the extent of coronavirus infection in the county.

Study participants will be chosen from among individuals who complete an online survey that asks questions about themselves, their health and any symptoms they may have had. A randomized sample of respondents, representing various demographic groups, will be selected for blood draws.

Those chosen for the study will be notified by email of their inclusion in the study, which will begin next week. They will also be asked to participate in a follow up test 8-12 weeks after the initial test.

Cape Girardeau County residents interested in being part of the study are asked to complete the online survey at www.surveymonkey.com/r/GJQFKBD.

The study is being done through a partnership among the Cape Girardeau County Commission, the Cape Girardeau Public Health Center, Cross Trails Medical Center and SoutheastHEALTH.

Survey participants will not be charged for their testing. The study is being funded by the Cape Girardeau County Commission using federal funds provided through the CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security) Act.

For more information, contact the Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center, (573) 335-7836 or cgchd@bigrivertel.net.