Merge 104.8 | 05 July 2020
Residents and citizens in Oman could soon have their blood drawn for serological analysis, as the government conducts an epidemiological study of the population’s immunity against COVID-19.
Staring from July 12, 2020, medical staff will be deployed across the Sultanate to obtain blood from randomly-selected patients.
As per the Ministry of Health (MoH), the national campaign will continue in in four phases spread out over ten weeks. 20,000 people will be contacted to undergo the test.
Data will be collected from the test subjects via the Tarassud Plus app, and will include blood sample results, demographic information, the subject’s medical history, symptoms, and social status.
The results will help the health authorities in the Sultanate to identify patterns of infection and immunity that will aid in determining the timing of lifting of regulations on businesses in the country — decisions which are based on epidemiological data.
*Editor’s Note: This is a developing story.