COVID study examines minorities, adults impact

MILWAUKEE - Fight COVID MKE is a program aimed at Milwaukee County adults – and minorities in particular.

As people continue to navigate through the pandemic, the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) hopes to learn about the impact COVID-19 has had on Milwaukee County residents.

"Through our research program, we’re going to offer the opportunity for adults in Milwaukee to get COVID antibody tests and also to do surveys," said Dr. John Meurer, Fight COVID MKE's co-principal investigator.

Meurer said, right now, patients at one of 11 primary care health centers and people enrolled in BadgerCare qualify for the survey and blood test.

"The antibody tests tell us whether they’ve had past infection to COVID, or if they responded to the vaccine or both," Meurer said.

Meurer said the hope is to find a more accurate count of how many Milwaukee County residents have been infected with COVID-19, how long COVID-19 antibodies last and protect from reinfection, and risk factors associated with why some people die from COVID-19 while others get really sick or have mild symptoms.

"This study gives us an opportunity to work with individuals that have been hit hard as a result of COVID," said Priscilla Wallace, Fight COVID MKE program director.

Wallace said the study's focus is to include the Black, Latino and Native American population in Milwaukee County.

"To know what factors have played a role as a result of COVID, in the already challenges that they face in the areas of housing, food disparities, along with the loss of jobs and unemployment," said Wallace.

Wallace said information gathered from the study could also help them be better prepared for another pandemic.

The Fight COVID MKE study would like 10,000 Milwaukee County adults to participate. To see if you're eligible, visit fightcovidmilwaukee.org.

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