SIREN Scotland
The impact of detectable anti SARS-CoV-2 antibody on the incidence of COVID-19 in healthcare workers
Project Team
Scottish Lead: Professor Lesley Price
GCU Co-investigators past and present: Professor Jacqui Reilly, Nicole Sergenson, Melanie Dembinsky, Lynne Haahr, Desy Nuryunarsih, Lesley Price, Desmond Areghan, Annelysse Jorgenson, Sally Stewart, and Alexander Olaoye
PHS Co-investigators past and present: Jennifer Bishop, Laura Dobbie, Dr Josie Evans, Professor David Goldberg, Dr Jim McMenamin, Laura Naismith, Caitlin Plank, Debbie Sigerson, Andrew Telfer, Katherine Thorne, and Jenifer Weir
UKHSA Co-investigators: Professor Susan Hopkins (Chief Investigator), Victoria Hall and the UKHSA SIREN team, NHS Borders, Fife, Forth Valley, Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Golden Jubilee, Grampian, Highland, Lanarkshire, Lothian and Western Isles
Funder: Scottish Government via Public Health Scotland
Sponsor: UKHSA
Dates: Start date 1st September 2020 - present
Background
In order to determine the population impact of potential future waves of COVID-19 infection a prospective cohort longitudinal study of healthcare workers was established in 2020. Lead by the United Kingdom Health Security Agency and Professor Susan Hopkins, 44,500 participants were recruited from across the UK with 6,200 participants from 10 Scottish Health Boards. Participants have undergone two-weekly PCR and monthly or quarterly antibody testing supplemented by two-weekly follow-up surveys.
Aim
The overall aim of the UK-wide study is to determine if prior SARS-CoV-2 infection or vaccination in health care workers confers future immunity to re-infection.
Scottish Objectives
- Establishment of a Project Steering Committee and a SIREN Scotland Working Group.
- Report Scottish objectives as regular report from Scottish SIREN data set.
- Recruitment of a Scottish Siren cohort by 31st March 2021. Representing at least 10% of SIREN cohort.
- Creation of a repository for SIREN data on Scottish healthcare workers for analysis within PHS and shared with UKHSA.
- Monthly progress report provided to Steering Committee reporting project progress.
- Respond to ad hoc requests for analyses and reporting that arise during the course of the project from key stakeholders.
- Produce an end project report detailing project progress, outputs, lessons learned and follow on actions.
- Produce at least two peer reviewed journal papers which include Scottish data.
Publications including Scottish co-authors
Foulkes S, Monk E J M, Sparkes D, Hettiarachchi N, Milligan I D, Munro K, Taylor-Kerr A, Platt N, Howells A Ye Aung Kyaw J, Adaji E, Gallagher E, Khawam J, Wellington E, Price L, Crossman D, Norman C, de Lacy E, Cromey L, Corrigan D, Lackenby A, Barbero P, Elegunde B, Zambon M, Chand M A, Brown C S, Islam J, Atti A, Hopkins S, Hall V J, Cole M J, SIREN Study Group. (2022) Early warning surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant United Kingdom November 2021-September 2022. Emerging Infectious Diseases. 29(1): 184 – 188. Impact Factor 16.16
Hall V, Foulkes S, Insalata F, Kirwan P, Saei A, Atti A, Wellington E, Khawam J, Munro K, Cole M, Tranquillini C, Taylor‑Kerr A, Hettiarachchi N, Calbraith D, Sajedi N, Milligan I, Themistocleous Y, Corrigan D, Cromey L, Price L, Stewart S, de Lacy E, Norman C, Linley E, Otter A D, Semper A, Hewson J, D’Arcangelo S, Chand M, Brown C S, Brooks T, Islam J, Charlett A, and Hopkins S, for the SIREN Study Group* (2022) Protection against SARS-CoV-2 after Covid-19 Vaccination and Previous Infection. New England Journal of Medicine. 386:1207-1220. Impact Factor 91.245
