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Infection & Transmission
from UAlbany School of Public Health 35th Anniversary Magazine: Defining Experiences in Public Health
by UAlbany
INFECTION & TRANSMISSION
In June 2020, the School and NYSDOH published results from the largest U.S. serosurvey (testing of blood serum) to date, providing critical information on infection and the first information in the country on statewide cumulative incidence, along with details on disparities by race and ethnicity, sex and age.
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The results showed that over two million adults in New York were infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, through late March 2020. Moreover, the number of people infected since the beginning of the pandemic was higher among Latinx, Black and Asian adults than White adults.
Participants were recruited by NYSDOH as they entered grocery stores in 26 New York counties between April 19-28, 2020, where data were recorded and finger prick tests were used to collect small blood samples for testing.
UAlbany researchers in partnership with scientists at NYSDOH then led the analysis on cumulative incidence using the collected data. The sample of 15,101 adult participants was adjusted to reflect New York’s demographics so that an estimate could be projected for statewide cumulative incidence.
“Our 35-year partnership with NYSDOH enabled our UAlbany team — already experienced in these kinds of studies and in collaboration with our colleagues at NYSDOH — to analyze the data to produce timely statistics of relevance to addressing the pandemic,” said Eli Rosenberg, lead author and associate professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics.
Faculty and staff on the Health Sciences Campus quickly adjusted research projects to include coronavirus aspects— including a project led by associate professor Beth Feingold and assistant professor Xiaobo X. Romeiko looking at food access and redistribution in New York’s Capital Region.
Funding was quickly approved for School researchers to examine various aspects of coronavirus, ranging from the impact on college students to faith and the Black church. Community outreach was also prioritized by the School, as faculty took on roles in workshops, trainings, lectures and podcasts to educate the public about the most up-to-date coronavirus information.
