About the Study

On December 31, 2019, a cluster of acute respiratory illnesses was reported from Wuhan, Hubei Province, China . The virus was subsequently found to be related to the virus that causes Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) which caused a global outbreak in 2003, infecting 8,000 of whom 800 died. In a matter of weeks, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) had spread globally. The first case in the United States was diagnosed on January 24, 2020 and the first case in North Carolina was diagnosed on March 3rd. As the nature of the outbreak became more clear, including asymptomatic cases and community transmission, North Carolina and other states began to take measures to slow the spread of the virus.

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper issued his first executive order in mid-March declaring a state of emergency and ordering closure of K-12 public schools statewide. Other closures and restrictions followed, culminating in a Stay at Home Order effective March 27 through May 8, 2020. In April, public health faculty at East Carolina University were invited by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services to collaborate on a state-wide community prevalence study with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke University. The ECU study will focus on Pitt county.

North Carolina has entered into Phase 2 of re-opening (the ‘Safer at Home’ phase) as of May 22, 2020. However, continued vigilance in physical distancing, hygiene, and wearing of masks is needed. Also needed is a more complete picture of COVID-19 epidemiology. The Pitt County Community Prevention And COVID-19 Testing (ComPACT) Study aims to address this through a two-phase study. The main questions of the study are the following:

• To what extent are COVID-19 prevention measures being followed?
• How common are new cases of COVID-19 infection, including those that show no symptoms and those among vaccinated individuals?
• What proportion of individuals show evidence of prior infection with COVID-19?

Phase 1 was completed between July 1, 2020 and December 31, 2020. It involved interested Pitt county residents completing a one-time survey about their socio-demographics, the social and economic impact of stay at home orders, adherence to various mitigation and prevention measures (social distancing, masks), and existing medical conditions. .

Phase 2 was completed between September 2020 and August 2021. It involved a sub-set of Phase 2 participants who were recruited for follow-up. This group completed surveys every two weeks about their adherence to prevention measures and any symptoms they have experienced. They will also provided a nasal swab for COVID-19 testing every two weeks (swabbing the first 1 inch of the nostril and not as uncomfortable as the standard COVID-19 nasopharyngeal swab) and provided a small blood sample (about 1 teaspoon) every month for COVID-19 antibody testing.

Phase 3 is currently ongoing and recruiting additional participants. This group will complete surveys every two weeks about their adherence to prevention measures and any symptoms they have experienced, as well as other information on their health and symptoms. They will also provided a nasal swab for COVID-19 testing every two weeks (swabbing the first 1 inch of the nostril and not as uncomfortable as the standard COVID-19 nasopharyngeal swab) and provided a small blood sample (about 1 teaspoon) every month for COVID-19 antibody testing. Click on “Take the Survey” below to be re-directed to information on how to contact the study to see if you are eligible to participate.