What is the COVID PROFILE study?

There is still a lot we don’t know about COVID-19.

• What makes a person more susceptible to contracting COVID-19?
• Why do some people develop severe illness while others remain relatively well?
• How long does immunity last after having COVID-19 or being vaccinated?

The COVID PROFILE study aims to find answers to these and other important questions by comparing immune responses in people who have experienced coronavirus infection, or who have been vaccinated, to people who have not.

These insights will help us better understand the factors that make a person susceptible to COVID-19 and the severity of the illness they might develop.

This will help doctors ensure those most at risk receive appropriate medical care, and will help inform vaccine design and public health measures in the future.

Who can take part in this study and what does it involve?

We are looking for adults in Greater Melbourne aged 18 years and older who have:

• Been diagnosed with COVID-19 and are no longer infectious

OR

• Are close contacts of people who have been diagnosed with COVID-19, but who have not had COVID-19 themselves

OR

• Intend to receive a COVID-19 vaccine

The study involves collecting a sample of your blood, saliva and a swab from your nose, at regular intervals throughout the course of a year. It does not involve taking any new medications.

Responding to COVID-19

WEHI is leading a number of major research responses to COVID-19 in collaboration with research partners in universities, hospitals and the private sector.

Our researchers are working towards better approaches to diagnose, treat and prevent the spread of coronaviruses, both to address the current COVID-19 pandemic, as well as in preparedness for future coronaviral disease outbreaks.

Find out more about the Institute’s COVID-19 response.

Media enquiries

M: +61 475 751 811
E: communityrelations@wehi.edu.au
E: covidprofile@wehi.edu.au