In the COVITA study, people who have tested positive for coronavirus (SARS-Cov-2) in Agder and Telemark are offered antibody testing every six months for two years.

Analysis results will be available on helsenorge.no as soon as the analyses are completed. Due to high workload related to the coronavirus situation, there is currently a delay in test results. To ensure a consistent analysis method, samples from Agder are being sent to Telemark.

If you have recovered from COVID-19 and have questions about vaccination, the advice is to contact the vaccination authority in the municipality where you live. They have an overview of and follow updated advice from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.

Are you wondering about anything regarding participation, sample taking, or how long it takes to get the results of the samples?

See "Frequently Asked Questions"

The COVITA study continues and is more important than ever even though the vaccine is coming.
Regardless of whether you participate in the study, you will be offered a vaccine, according to the prioritization the government has established.

Why do we continue to measure antibodies when the vaccine is coming and after the participants are vaccinated?
Not everyone will be vaccinated immediately. Therefore, it is important to see how antibody levels develop over the next few months. We still know too little about how long the vaccine works, and by participating, you can contribute to more knowledge about that. There is still a great need for more knowledge about antibodies and how long they remain in the body because it is important for immunity (resistance to the virus).
When the vaccine arrives, we can see if it affects your antibody levels.

We will also see if you still have antibodies several months after vaccination and then every six months. It is important to include all those who have had a positive PCR test in the follow-up part of the study, as well as to gain as much and as good knowledge as possible about the development of antibodies over time and about possible long-term effects.

For some, it may take a little longer than six months between the first and second antibody test, partly due to holidays and celebrations.


The goal of the study is to follow the development of SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody levels over time to learn more about immunity. In addition, we will map long-term complications. Already collected information from the Telemark Study will later be used to study risk factors for COVID-19.

Participation in the study involves answering a short questionnaire, as well as a blood sample for measuring antibodies against coronavirus.

The project leader is senior consultant and associate professor at the Institute of Health and Society, University of Oslo, Anne Kristin M. Fell. The project is a collaboration between Sørlandet Hospital and Telemark Hospital. Neurologist and associate professor Randi Eikeland is the local project leader at Sørlandet Hospital. We are very fortunate to have user representative Gro Forsberg on board. Several key stakeholders and project staff from both hospital trusts are presented below.


Information about the study is also published on the national registry of clinical trials.

Corona and covid-19 study in Telemark and Agder

High participation in the COVITA study

Will map risk factors for covid-19

Anne Kristin Møller Fell

: Anne Kristin Møller Fell
Consultant, 1st Assistant Professor II

Head of the Telemark Study and COVITA Study

Department of Occupational Medicine, Telemark Hospital

Institute of Health and Society, University of Oslo




Randi Eikeland

Randi Eikeland
Neurologist, 1st assistant/deputy

Coordinator for COVITA in Agder

Head of the national competence service for tick-borne diseases, Sørlandet Hospital

: University of Agder


Harald Reiso

: Harald Reiso

Advisor, physician, MD, specialist in general practice and community medicine

National Competence Service for Tick-borne Diseases, Southern Norway Hospital



Carina Thielsen

. Carina Thielsen

: Consultant physician/Head of department physician

Department of Medical Microbiology

Unilabs Laboratory Medicine



Marjut Sarjomaa

Marjut Sarjomaa

Specialist in infectious diseases and internal medicine

Consultant physician at the infectious disease department, infection control physician, Telemark Hospital




Yngvar Tveten
Yngvar Tveten

Consultant physician, MD

  Bysharing for laboratory medicineS: Telemark Sanatorium




Elin Christensen

Elin Christensen 

Biomedical engineer at Sørlandet Hospital, Kristiansand





Signe Seljåsen

Signe Seljåsen

Hygiene nurse at the hospital in Arendal





Svein Arne Nordbø
Svein Arne Nordbø

Consultant/Associate Professor

: Department of Medical: microbiologySt.: Olav's Hospital





Hege Kersten
Hege Kersten

Head of Research, Telemark Hospital

: Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacy, University of Oslo

Researcher, National Center for Aging and Health




Trine Nordstrøm
Trine Nordstrøm

Infection control physician, Sørlandet Hospital






Trine Nordstrøm
: Louise Myrland
Unit Leader, Pre-analytical Unit

: Laboratory department

Sørlandet HospitalArendal




Trine Nordstrøm
Kristine Karlsrud Berg
Specialist trainee physician

Department of Medical Microbiology

Sørlandet Hospital, Kristiansand




Request for participation in the health research project: Corona and Covid-19 Study in Agder and Telemark (COVITA)

cycle. This is a request to you who have had a blood test for Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) to participate in a study on the development of immunity and risk factors for COVID-19 in Agder and Telemark. The goal of the study is to investigate how antibodies against the virus develop in the population of Agder and Telemark. It is also a goal to map symptoms and medication use both in those who test positive and those who test negative. In addition, it is a goal to find out how what we are exposed to in our work and environment affects the risk of getting the coronavirus, in order to better identify vulnerable groups. This knowledge is now greatly needed in the work of managing new waves of the pandemic. The questionnaire will provide more knowledge the more people respond and will be an important contribution to planning infection control measures in Agder and Telemark going forward.

translation:You've already had a blood test, and we are now asking you for a new one. You will then receive requests for blood tests approximately every six months (a total of four blood tests) over a period of two years. When you are tested, you will also receive a short questionnaire about any ailments you've experienced recently and a few other questions related to possible risk factors for covid-19. It takes about 10 minutes to fill out the questionnaire.

The project is being carried out by Telemark Hospital and Sørlandet Hospital, in collaboration with Unilabs, the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, the University of Oslo, the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in England, the University of Leiden, Netherlands, and the University of Aarhus in Denmark.

If you have any questions about the questionnaire, you can call, text, or email the project worker in the study: phone: 953 69 315, email: SARM@sthf.no

What does the project involve?


The study is based on answers from a short questionnaire you receive when you are tested for antibodies against the virus. The questionnaire maps the prevalence of illness and symptoms. A few questions about risk factors for infection have been added, concerning your health, medication use, and your work and immediate surroundings. The questionnaire takes 10 minutes to complete. Participation is voluntary. In addition, we will use the answers from the virus and antibody tests that we take from you.

گذر In the project, information about you will be de-identified (see more info below). By consenting to the study, you also consent to the information from the virus/antibody tests and the questionnaire being linked with information from the following national registries: National Register of Citizens, System for Vaccination Control – National Vaccination Registry, Norwegian Patient Registry, Notification System for Infectious Diseases, Prescription Registry, Registry of Causes of Death, Municipal Patient and User Registry / Control and Reimbursement of Healthcare Refunds, Norwegian Intensive Care Registry, Statistics Norway, Norwegian Influenza Survey, Helsenorge.no, and Registry of Adverse Reactions to Vaccination.

Possible advantages and disadvantages


translation:Benefits of participating in the study: It is important to know more about how many people have experienced respiratory problems and other possible coronavirus-related ailments recently, and how many have not. Even more important is to learn more about how many people are developing immunity and how long it lasts after having the illness, as well as which factors may increase the risk of coronavirus infection. You can contribute to this by participating in the study. The study can also help politicians and healthcare professionals to better plan and implement necessary measures in Agder, Telemark and the rest of the country to prevent COVID-19 in the future.

Possible disadvantages of participating in the study: Some participants may become concerned about filling out a questionnaire. If this applies to you, we are available by phone to answer questions and provide advice. Some may experience slight discomfort during blood sampling, but such discomfort is rare. If needed, healthcare professionals will always be available to follow up with you during and after the blood sample.

Voluntary participation and the opportunity to withdraw consent

Participation in the project is voluntary and you can withdraw at any time without giving any reason. If you wish to withdraw later, all information about you will be deleted. If you wish to participate, you sign a consent form, complete the questionnaire, and provide a blood sample.

If you were to change your mind and wish to withdraw from the project, you can request that collected samples and information be deleted, unless the information has already been incorporated into analyses or used in scientific publications.

If you wish to withdraw or have questions about the project, you can contact the project staff by phone: 953 69 315 (9:00 AM - 3:00 PM).

What happens to information about you?


The information registered about you will only be used as described in the purpose of the study. You have the right to access the information registered about you, and the right to have any errors in that information corrected. All information will be processed without names, date of birth, or other directly identifying information. The information is then de-identified. A code links you to your information through a name list that only a small number of project staff at Telemark Hospital have access to. When the results are published, all information will be anonymized.

adult

translation: The project manager is responsible for the daily operation of the research project and ensuring that information about you is handled securely. Information we collect about you will be stored in locked archives and in computer systems protected by security routines at Telemark Hospital. Telemark Hospital, represented by the managing director, is the data controller. Information about you will be anonymized or deleted, at the latest in 2031.

Insurance


All participants in the study are insured through the Norwegian Patient Injury Compensation Scheme.

Disclosure of information to others


By participating in the project, you consent to the release of de-identified information to project staff affiliated with Telemark Hospital, South Norway Hospital, the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, and the University of Oslo. You also consent to the sending of de-identified information to our partners in England, the Netherlands, and Denmark. The code that links you to your personally identifiable information will not be released.

: Economics


The study is funded through research grants from Sørlandet Hospital and Telemark Hospital.

Approval


The project has been approved by the Regional Committee for Medical and Health Research Ethics (REK), case no. with REK (2020/146469).

Who can participate in the study?

Only patients from Agder and from the Telemark part of the Vestfold and Telemark county are eligible to participate in the study.

Those who have not tested positive for COVID-19 with a throat and nasal swab (PCR) cannot participate.

How do participants find out the answers to the tests we administer?

You can access your test results by logging in to helsenorge.no.

Unfortunately, it will take some time to analyze all the samples, so you should expect it to take up to a month before you receive the results.

How often do we take samples?

We will contact you when it's time for us to take samples from you.

It can take from 3-5 months from when you are registered as a participant until you are called in for testing for the first time.

Due to a very large number of participants since the start of the pandemic, it may take up to 6 months before you are called in for testing next time.


Covita-studien