Slough’s Asian community urged to donate blood for coronavirus study

Members of Slough’s Asian community who contracted COVID-19 during the pandemic are being urged to donate blood to a medical study.

The research project is open to people from all backgrounds who tested positive for the virus and experienced either mild or no symptoms.

But researchers are particularly keen to hear from members of the town's Asian population.

From tomorrow (Wednesday) a COVID-secure pop-up centre will be in operation at the Holiday Inn, Church St, Chalvey, where eligible participants can donate blood.

This will allow doctors and scientists from the University of Edinburgh and Geonomics England to analyse the genes of each person who has had the virus and understand why some experienced no symptoms while others became seriously ill.

Professor Sir Mark Caulfied, Chief Scientist at Genomics England. “The quicker this research can be completed, the faster we can solve the COVID puzzle and protect vulnerable people.

“Genetic research into COVID-19 is now playing an increasingly important role in our fight against the virus, enabling us to identify new forms of the virus and develop treatments.”

The study has already been rolled out in Scotland and Bradford with scientists hoping for a similar take-up in Slough.

Anyone who does not wish to travel to the Holiday Inn can arrange for a nurse to visit their home to take a sample.

The pop-up centre will be open until Friday this week.

Visit https://covid.genomicc.org/ to sign up.