Aims

• Contribute to public health policy by tracking the progression of the COVID-19 pandemic in a healthy donor population

Key Findings

• Tracked the progression of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in Ireland over the first three waves of infection.A comprehensive estimation of the level of circulating SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in Irish blood donors, By November 2021, we detected an overall seropositivity of 97.04%.

  • The changing profile of SARS-CoV-2 serology in Irish blood donors. Dermot Coyne, Dearbhla Butler, Adrienne Meehan, Evan Keogh, Pádraig Williams, Alex Carterson, Tor Hervig, Niamh O'Flaherty, Allison Waters .  Glob Epidemiol. 2023 Dec;5:100108.

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• Earliest serological detection of SARS-CoV-2 we reported in our Irish donor population. In addition, there was SARS-CoV-2 antibody reactivity across all donor age groups and counties documenting the evolution of COVID-19 pandemic in Ireland over time.
  • Confirmed circulation of SARS-CoV-2 in Irish blood donors prior to first national notification of infection. Dearbhla Butler, Dermot Coyne, Louise Pomeroy, Pádraig Williams, Paul Holder, Alex Carterson, Stephen Field, Allison Waters, Niamh O'Flaherty. J Clin Virol. 2022; 146: 105045
• Cough, fever and contact with a known COVID-19 case and travel to an affected region were the most common features reported by patients with laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection tested in the community.
  • Partial compliance with symptom-based testing pathways reveals asymptomatic carriage of SARS-CoV-2 in Ireland. Grace Yixin Chan, Lillian Rajan, Cillian De Gascun, Niamh O'Flaherty. Ir J Med Sci. 2021 May;190(2):485-489.

• Key contributor to theNational Serosurveillance Programme (NSP) | Seroepidemiology of COVID-19 in Ireland

On-going Research

• Continued monitoring the SARS-CoV-2 serological profile in blood donors following the roll-out of national vaccination and booster programmes