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Virginia launches pediatric COVID-19 antibody study
Virginia Governor Ralph Northam is launching a pediatric coronavirus study to examine the number of children with COVID-19 antibodies.
FALLS CHURCH, Va. (FOX 5 DC) - Virginia Governor Ralph Northam is launching a pediatric coronavirus study to examine the number of children with COVID-19 antibodies.
The announcement comes as a similar study is underway for adults, showing more then two percent of the Commonwealth’s adult population have antibodies for the coronavirus.
The state is teaming up with Inova Health System.
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Inova Children’s Hospital in Falls Church will be a key player in this collaboration. Specifically, it’s a serology study that will take place looking for antibodies in blood. COVID-19 antibodies in children in this case.
Ultimately, if antibodies are discovered, that means there was a previous infection. Many researchers are looking to see whether antibodies can be used to fight coronavirus infections.
Governor Northam who is also a pediatrician says the goal is to find out how coronavirus is impacting children.
He says the study will provide key insight into a question that’s been the center of much debate – do children spread coronavirus as much as adults do?
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Inova Children’s Hospital’s Dr. Rebecca Levorson says they’ll select up to a thousand participants up to 19 years old who live in Northern Virginia.
Blood samples will be tested for COVID-19 antibodies.
Northern Virginia was picked for the study due to the number of confirmed COVID-19 pediatric cases.
Governor Northam also says Northern Virginia’s population is diverse both ethnically and economically.