Texas Coronavirus Antibody Response Survey (TX CARES)
The Texas Coronavirus Antibody Response Survey (TX CARES) project was designed in response to the pandemic to estimate the prevalence of SARS-CoV (coronavirus) antibody status across Texas. The study is sampling approximately 106,000 participants, ages 5-80 including children, students, vulnerable population, and professionals across Texas. Research is funded by the Texas Department of State Health Services and conducted by the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth). TX CARES projects entails analyzing blood sample at three time points (three months interval) to determine coronavirus antibody status.
The Texas Coronavirus Antibody Response Survey (Texas CARES), is a survey that will help us better understand the human antibody response to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Survey participants will help us measure things like how many people in the survey already have COVID-19 antibodies, and how long those antibodies last.
Texas CARES objectives includes:
- Estimate how many people in Texas have been infected with SARS-CoV-2.
- How long COVID-19 antibodies last in a person’s system.
- Identify the characteristics of people who develop COVID-19 antibodies.
- Identify the characteristics of people who never develop COVID-19 antibodies.
Texas CARES Procedure:
- Consent and Short Questionnaire (online)
- Schedule Appointment for blood draw at CPL lab near you
Blood Draw: A total of three blood draws is required (Baseline, 3 months and 6 months), one at each time point. CPL lab visits is at 3 months intervals.
- Study Timeline: 2020-2022
ENROLL IN THE STUDY
Texas CARES is managed by a collaborative team from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) School of Public Health, in partnership with Texas DSHS, CPL, and the UT System.
Team members from the UTHealth School of Public Health include:
Principal Investigator:
Dr. Eric Boerwinkle
Co-Investigators:
Austin/ Michael & Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living [Education Population]: Dr. Steven Kelder; Dr. Bill Kohl III
Brownsville [FQHC Population]: Dr. Melissa Valerio-Shewmaker
Dallas [Pediatric Population]: Dr. Sarah Messiah
Houston [Biostatistics]: Dr. Stacia DeSantis; Dr. Michael Swartz; Dr. Ashraf Yaseen
Program Manager:
Jessica Ross
Postdoctoral Fellow:
Onyinye Omega-Njemnobi
