Sanquin will test for antibodies against corona virus to investigate herd immunity
In collaboration with the National Institute of Public health and the Environment (RIVM), Sanquin will contribute to a scientific study into herd immunity against the coronavirus.
As of April, Sanquin will start measuring antibodies against the coronavirus in all blood donors who come to donate during a period of approximately one week. The test is accurate enough to give a picture of the spread of the virus in the Netherlands. However, the test is not suitable for giving donors a personal result, because there is a chance that a wrong result will be obtained at an individual level.
The research will be repeated on a regular basis, so that it allows following the development of herd immunity in our country. By testing all blood samples from all over the Netherlands for a short period of time, a representative sample of Dutch people aged 18-69 will be obtained.