Researchers will be asking random households across metropolitan Perth to undertake COVID tests to reveal how much undetected infection is in the community.
The study team from The Kids Research Institute Australia and Curtin University, in collaboration with the WA Department of Health, are conducting the Perth COVID-19 Infection Study to determine what proportion of people in the Perth community are infected with COVID-19 at one time.
Lead researcher Professor Nick Golding, from The Kids Research Institute Australia and Curtin University, said it is acknowledged that there are more COVID-19 cases in the community than current testing levels indicate.
“There may be many undetected asymptomatic cases in the community due to our high second and booster dose vaccination rates,” Professor Golding said.
This study will provide insight into the true rate of COVID infection in Perth which will help us determine whether the peak has truly passed, and which groups of people have the highest risk of infection. This will help people keep their friends and family safe and protect the wider community.
Professor Golding said the study would use new saliva sample technology, developed by Perth company Avicena, to conduct simple, pain-free COVID tests in the home.
“This new type of saliva-based test – called a LAMP assay and currently approved for research purposes - has been proven to be as effective as a rapid antigen test,” said Professor Golding.
“The test isn’t yet registered approved as a diagnostic test, but we’ll contact anyone who returns a positive result from the saliva sample to let them know they should get a RAT or PCR test.”
Around 250 households will be recruited to the study every weekend, equivalent to around 800 individuals per weekend, including adults, adolescents and children. As well as the saliva sample, participants will also be asked questions about their age, their type of work or study, and their vaccination status. Participation is voluntary and the study takes around 30 minutes and is conducted in a COVID-safe way.
Funding for this research has been provided by the WA Department of Health. Curtin University Human Research Ethics Committee has approved this study (HRE2022-0129.)