The results will give an overview of the amount of coronavirus and covid-19 antibodies in the adult population of Estonia. Antibodies develop in the body as a result of the disease or after vaccination. 

Participants selected at random will be asked to give a blood sample and a nasopharyngeal swab test. They will be contacted by Medicum and Synlab and the procedure takes about 10 minutes. 

A telephone interview will also be conducted by polling company Kantar Emor.

Ruth Kalda, the head of the prevalence study and Professor of Family Medicine at the University of Tartu, said the prevalence of antibodies in the adult population is an important indicator that helps to impose necessary rules to control the situation.

"The current infection statistics continues to reflect a worrying increase in hospitalisation needs. The fastest and safest way to stop the increase is vaccination, because people who have not had the disease and have not been vaccinated are the most at risk of being hospitalised due to the coronavirus infection. The study stages conducted in summer revealed that about a third of the grownups had no antibodies to the virus," said Kalda.

The study is run by the University of Tartu and lasts from September 15-27.

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