The study intends to understand why some people get severe while others get mild illness. This will be done through a study of the genetic and immune profile among individuals.
Any individual who has a positive COVID diagnosis or has symptoms of COVID-19 or has household contact with a COVID-19 patient can participate in the study. Individuals will be required to answer a questionnaire, provide blood for genetic and immune testing and do a nasal brush test. Altogether 2000 individuals will be studied.
WGS
Immune profiling - cellular as well as humoral responses, including antibody testing. Immune responses will also be measured in respiratory epithelial cells.
Disease susceptibility
The genMARK study has affiliated projects including a targeted focus on susceptibility among North American and Caribbean Black populations.