TEST + SAVE +

Campaign to test healthcare professionals exposed to the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

TEST + SAVE +

Healthy professionals. More security in the return.

Let's help those who are taking care!

The new SARS-CoV-2 virus has brought many challenges and an urgent need to define effective strategies to combat it. Testing Health Professionals at the forefront allows you to break an important transmission chain, anticipate measures for a potential new wave, and protect the whole of society.

Scientists from the Gulbenkian Institute of Science (IGC) have mobilized themselves to help protect health professionals who are fighting COVID-19 by conducting periodic diagnostic tests to detect the virus (PCR tests) and to the measurement of virus response antibodies (serological tests). So we will know who is, has been or may be exposed to the disease.

Periodically testing health professionals, with and without symptoms, allows:

1. Control the spread of the virus;
2. Prepare for a possible second wave of infection;
3. Protect the Society;
4. Reduce the growing anxiety of health professionals about being able to infect users, colleagues and their families;
5. Study the exposure and immune response to the virus.

IGC believes that the involvement of research institutions is essential in combating the pandemic, and is making its technology platforms and scientific skills available to the common good through partnerships with hospital institutions.

Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência realiza testes para avaliar exposição de profissionais de saúde ao vírus SARS-CoV-2

The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation has already joined this civil society mobilization, providing € 30,000 of the emergency fund created to deal with the pandemic and guaranteeing that more health professionals are tested.

What is the main focus of this campaign?

• Health professionals, symptomatic and asymptomatic, in direct contact with COVID-19 patients.

How are we going to help?

• Identify who are the carriers (diagnostic tests for infection) and who are exposed to the virus (serological tests - antibody measurement) in hospital personnel.

What information will these tests give us?

• Prevalence by hospital: allows to manage the protection and sustainability of the response of health professionals in the front line;
• Prevalence by service: allows to manage the allocation of tasks/reorganization of services and effort management (COVID / non-COVID) in the second wave;
• Who is a carrier and who has antibodies: allows management of service and vacation teams between vacancies.

Which hospitals are involved?

Centro Hospitalar Lisboa Ocidental (including Hospitals Egas Moniz, Santa Cruz and São Francisco Xavier) and Hospital Fernando da Fonseca (Amadora - Sintra). In the first phase, 1000 professionals from these hospitals will be tested.

Let's test more healthcare professionals!

Your donation will help us fulfill this mission!

About the author

The Gulbenkian Institute of Science, an integral part of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, is an international Institute dedicated to biological and biomedical research, innovative postgraduate training and the transformation of society through science.

Its mission is to respond to the global challenges of science, through innovative discoveries in Life Sciences, innovation in training programs, incubating the next generation of scientific leaders and placing science at the center of society. As a major engine in attracting national and foreign scientists to Portugal, it has been creating and reinforcing the development of excellent research programs and contributing to the scientific fabric both in our country and abroad.

For more information visit the website.

Equipa com alguns dos investigadores que processa as amostras no Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência.

Budget and due dates

BUDGET

REQUESTED AMOUNT: EUR 30,000

We have come to request support from civil society, in the amount of 30,000 Euros, which will contribute to the financing of the reagents needed to carry out 1000 tests on health professionals.

The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation joins this civil society mobilization by doubling the value of each donation , from individuals or companies, which will allow twice as many tests to be carried out by health professionals on the front line.

The IGC is under the Scientific Patronage Law, which grants tax benefits to donations made within the scope of this scientific initiative.

Required value / per test (reagents only): 30 Euros

• The IGC provides all the equipment necessary to carry out these tests and, using its genomics unit and robotic system.
• All scientists involved are working on a voluntary basis in the production and testing of health professionals;
• Several companies have already joined this initiative to allow the execution of this project (in the transport of samples, in the communication of the campaign).

SCHEDULE

7 May to 30 June 2020

The nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swab samples as well as blood samples will be collected from each professional at an interval of 3 weeks for a period of at least 3 months. The samples are processed in the laboratories of the Gulbenkian Institute of Science.

PPL is not charging any fees for this campaign except for the payment costs

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