PEOPLE who have caught coronavirus and only developed mild or no symptoms have been asked to donate blood as part of ongoing research into the virus.

The study, which is being delivered in Wales through Health and Care Research Wales, is looking at the genes of people who have had coronavirus to discover why some experienced mild or no symptoms while others became extremely ill.

Preliminary results from the study have also been used to help identify possible new treatments.

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For the study to continue to make progress, around 2,500 more people need to be recruited from all backgrounds. Along with seeking the help of members of Asian and black communities, those behind the study are also keen for more men to volunteer.

To help encourage as many people as possible to join the GenOMICC COVID-19 study, volunteers are now able to quickly and easily book an appointment for a nurse to visit their home and donate a sample.

The home appointment system has already been launched in Scotland and Bradford earlier this year, and organisers are hoping to see a response from people in Wales.

“This study has one key objective – to help us understand why Covid-19 has impacted different groups in different ways,” said Dr Matt Morgan, consultant in intensive care medicine at the University Hospital of Wales and specialty lead for critical care at Health and Care Research Wales.

“Across the UK, a disproportionate number of people who ended up in hospital have been male as well as people with Asian and black heritage – that’s why we need people from these groups in particular to join the study as soon as possible.”

“If you are eligible, please register and join the project. You’ll be making a direct contribution to helping improve our knowledge of the virus and discovering new ways of beating it.”

Dr Kenneth Baillie, the study’s chief investigator, said: “We need to find people who tested positive for Covid but experienced either mild or no symptoms and didn’t require hospital treatment.

“To maximise the study’s potential, it’s important these volunteers are similar in age, gender and ethnicity of those people who were severely affected and hospitalised.”

Dr Nicola Williams, director of support and delivery at Health and Care Research Wales, said: “By introducing an appointment booking system, the GenOMICC COVID-19 Study is giving people the opportunity to contribute to potentially life-saving research from their own homes.

“These contributions can help provide the evidence we need to give all patients the best possible outcome.”

The research project is open to anyone who tested positive to Covid-19 but experienced mild or no symptoms and didn’t require hospital treatment. Volunteers can register at covid.genomicc.org.