By Annelysse Jorgenson and Sally Stewart
After a total of 22 weeks, recruitment for the SIREN study in Scotland has come to a close and the final numbers are in!
Thank you to the 6277* participants in Scotland who volunteered!
Recruitment for any research study always has its trials and tribulations but the hard work of every local health board study team and the willing participants ensured there were many triumphs in SIREN as well. As you can see, Scotland’s recruitment numbers just kept climbing every week, all of which contributed to the final count.
An honourable mention goes to three Scottish health boards who placed first, second and third in total recruitment numbers across all of the UK’s study sites. Taking out the top spot was NHS Lothian, closely followed by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, and then NHS Lanarkshire. NHS Grampian also came within the top ten recruiting sites of the UK, further representing Scotland in the ranks. Scotland’s final numbers really are the result of a collective effort over the last 5 months though, so let’s have a look back on some recruitment highlights.
Although new participants can’t join the study now, there is still much work to be done as the research teams continue to follow those 6277 participants over the next year. The data gained through the study will provide vital evidence on whether previous infection with COVID-19 reduces a person’s future risk of re-infection with the virus, real-world efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines, and how a person’s immunity (antibodies) following infection and/or vaccination acts month-to-month.
Watch this space for exciting future announcements of SIREN’s results!
*number subject to small changes as the recruitment confirmation processes are underway.
Meet the SIREN study team at GCU: https://www.caledonianblogs.net/ship/2021/01/25/gcu-researchers-lead-scotlands-participation-in-the-largest-study-into-immunity-to-covid-19/