Charlotte, N.C.-based Atrium Health and Columbia, Md.-based MedStar Health are also participating in the study, which aims to use online data-gathering and at-home rapid diagnostic kits to gain a better understanding of the pandemic and the virus’ infection patterns to help aid development of treatment strategies. Clinical research organization Javara is helping conduct the community-based research study.
All data collected in the study will be shared with government agencies including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institutes of Health and state and local public health departments.
“This study should rapidly allow us to define the epidemic on a regional basis and establish the framework to both track the disease in real time and answer critical secondary research questions,” said John Sanders, MD, principal investigator of the study and chief of infectious diseases at Wake Forest Baptist Health, according to the news release.
The North Carolina General Assembly provided $100,000 in funding to allow researchers to purchase and mail at-home test kits to study participants.
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