EMPOWER - BAME vs COVID: A Multi-site Clinical Cohort Research Study to Identify Genetic Associations and Candidate Therapeutic Targets to Reduce COVID-19 Morbidity & Mortality Rates in BAME Populations

The COVID-19 virus pandemic has massively affected us all. We now know there is a much larger proportion of British Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) patients suffering from COVID-19 infections. This disproportionate level of infection and severity of disease has raised concerns and worries. Other research from April 2020 showed that 71% of the nurses and midwives and 94% of the doctors and dentists that died of COVID-19 infections were from a BAME background despite this group representing 20% and 44% of the workforce respectively. The survival picture is also grim for Black and Asian members of the public where we see disproportionately high rates of deaths. Research estimates that our DNA and the environment equally influence the risk for infection. This clinical study plans to better understand our DNA. Some of the things we will be looking at is age, sex, ethnicity and any illnesses such as diabetes or blood pressure. We will ask people for some spit and look at their medical records. This may help us find some of the reasons why this virus has different effects on people and how we might protect people from COVID-19.