Community-based sero-epidemiological study of COVID-19: Serial longitudinal sampling of individuals working in occupations associated with increased social contacts

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Hello, this research project will be ended on 31 October 2021. Thank you for your participation! If you have any questions regard to the research project, please contact us via email: covid3@hku.hk

Introduction

The transmission of COVID-19 has become a major global public health threat. As it has more severe symptoms than common cold, and the infections might not produce apparent symptoms, serological studies are considered to be the most reliable assessments for COVID-19 infections. We hope this study will help public health organisations to implement more effective measures to control large-scale COVID-19 infections.

Eligibility of Study

You are eligible to join the study if you meet the following criteria:

Aged 18 or above

Not currently pregnant

Not currently employed as civil servants or by Hospital Authority

Currently employed in one of the following occupations:

Public/Private sectors Bus drivers;

Public/Private sectors Minibus drivers;

Taxi drivers;

Frontline staff of MTR;

Cross-border truck drivers;

Work in wet markets or supermarkets;

Foreign domestic helpers;

Construction site workers; or

Courier services (delivery or courier)

What is expected from me if I participate?

If you agree to participate, you will be invited to visit designated clinics/centres every 6 months (a total of 3 times in 18 months) for:

blood sample collection (10mL per visit)

height and weight measurements (once per visit)

complete a questionnaire

Potential Risks

You may experience a short period of slight pain and minor bruising from blood sample collection. In some rare situations, you might feel dizzy or faint following the blood sample collection. Apart from that, blood sample collection is very safe.

Potential Benefits

We believe that you, as a member of the society, will benefit indirectly from the findings of this study in your contribution. The results of this study could help the government and health organisations in designing future strategies for COVID-19 that are better and more suitable for people in Hong Kong.

No cost will be incurred for joining this study. To appreciate your time spent and support for our study, you will receive supermarket coupon valued at HK$200 for providing blood sample and completion of questionnaire after each clinic visit. Each participant will also receive the serological test results when the sample is analysed.

Confidentiality of Personal Information

All data and original documents will be stored in the School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong. Original documents will be entered into electronic databases and destroyed at the conclusion of the study. Electronic datasets will be stored in a secured sever in The University of Hong Kong. All personal data will be kept strictly confidential and the data will be anonymized for data analysis. Your data and information may be inspected by regulatory authorities of academic research, such as auditor(s) or the Institutional Review Board of the University of Hong Kong/ Hospital Authority Hong Kong West Cluster, with the accompany of research staff.

You have the rights of access to personal data and publicly available study results, if and when needed. Under the laws of Hong Kong (in particular the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance, Cap 486), you benefit or may benefit from rights for the protection of the confidentiality of your personal data, such as those regarding the collection, custody, retention, management, control, use (including analysis or comparison), transfer in or out of Hong Kong, non-disclosure, erasure and/or in any way dealing with or disposing of any of your personal data in or for this study. For any queries, you should consult the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data or his office (Tel No. 2827 2827) as to the proper monitoring or supervision of your personal data protection so that your full awareness and understanding of the significance of compliance with the law governing privacy data is assured.

By consenting to participate in this study, you expressly authorize

the principal investigator and his research team and the ethics committee responsible for overseeing this study to get access to, to use, and to retain your personal data for the purposes and in the manner described in this informed consent process.

to consent the collection of your data to assess your eligibility to participate in this research study by the research team at the University of Hong Kong. You understand that your personal data will be kept strictly confidential in accordance to the University of Hong Kong and Privacy Policy statement.

The University of Hong Kong (“the HKU”) is committed to meeting internationally-recognized standards of personal data privacy protection, in compliance with the requirements of the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance (“the Ordinance”). In doing so, it will be ensured that the Study’s staff comply with the strictest standards of security and confidentiality. The “Community-based sero-epidemiological study of COVID-19: Serial longitudinal sampling of individuals working in occupations associated with increased social contacts” of the School of Public Health of the HKU (“the Study”), being part of the HKU, complies with all relevant and applicable HKU privacy policies.

Personal Information Collection Statements

The personal information you provide to us that will be treated as strictly confidential used by the Project for research purposes. The Project will not disclose any personal information provided by the user to any external body or organization unless the user has been informed or it is required to do so by law.

Under the Ordinance, individuals have the right to request access to and correction of their personal data held by the Project. Should you wish to access or correct your personal information held by us, please present your enquiry or request by e-mail to covid3@hku.hk. Data access request should be made by completing and submitting the Data Access Request Form. A reasonable fee will be charged for the processing of any data access request.

If you have any enquiries about the Project privacy policy and practices, please contact us by email to covid3@hku.hk.

These statements have been translated into Chinese. If there is any inconsistency or ambiguity between English version and the Chinese version, the English version shall prevail.

Enquires

A detailed information page will be distributed to you if you are eligible for the study. If you have any enquiries about this study, please contact the research staff at School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong at 3917 9933, WhatsApp 93821 2091 or via email (covid3@hku.hk). It has been approved by the Institutional Review Board of the Hospital Authority Hong Kong West Cluster (UW 20-350).

Participant Consent Form

I understand that I am participating in the above-named study to provide research data and biological samples for investigating my serological antibody profiles and other relevant information.

I agree to provide my blood samples. I understand that the samples will be stored by the researchers for serological testing against coronavirus, or future research studies about other health problems. I give permission to the researchers of this study at the University of Hong Kong or their research collaborators at other academic institutions to perform these tests on my samples.

I understand that samples collected for this study may be retained for 10 years after the conclusion of the study.

I agree to take part in the above study. I understand that my participation is voluntary and that I am free to withdraw at any time, without giving any reason.

Personal Particulars

Chinese Name

English Name

Phone Number (Mobile/ WhatsApp)

Where do you live?

Date of Birth (DD/MM/YYYY)

Are you currently working in one of the following sectors?

Have you ever stayed in any of the (Hong Kong) government’s quarantine centres for quarantine?(e.g. Fo Tan Chun Yeung Estate, Mei Foo Jao Tsung-I Academy Heritage Lodge, Pat Heung JPC Permanent Activity Centre and Integrated Youth Training Camp, Chai Wan Lei Yue Mun Park and Holiday Village, Sai Kung Lady MacLehose Holiday Village, Pak Tam Chung Holiday Camp, Penny's Bay Quarantine Centre, etc.)

Preferrable Location
Below are some of our clinic site for follow-up/ blood-taking:

Jockey Club Tin Shui Wai Community Health Centre
Address: Unit 103, 1/F, Tin Ching Amenity and Community Building, Tin Ching Estate, Tin Shui Wai, New Territories

Kwong Fuk Community Health Centre
Address: 19, G/F, Kwong Tin Estate, Kwong Fuk Estate, Tai Po, New Territories

UCN Jordan Health Centre
Address: 13/F, Sino Cheer Plaza, No. 23 Jordan Road, Kowloon

Jockey Club Wo Lok Community Health Centre (Kwun Tong)
Address: Unit 26-33, G/F, Kui On House, Wo Lok Estate, Kwun Tong, Kowloon

School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong
Address: G/F, Patrick Manson Building (North Wing), 7 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong

Causeway Bay
Address: Unit 741/770, 7/F, Eton Tower, 8 Hysan Ave, Causeway Bay (opposite to Lee Garden One)

Which of the following location do you prefer?

Most Convenient:

Second Most Convenient:

Third Most Convenient:

Preferred Communication Methods

Last updated on September 29, 2020

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