Covid-19 researchers get Rs1m grant

A team of researchers at the University of Management and Technology (UMT) recently won a grant of Rs1 million from Future Scientific, Pakistan to check potential herd immunity in high-risk groups; asymptomatic medical doctors and family members of Covid-19 positive individuals who are home quarantine and were not tested for Covid-19.

According to a press release, Dr Muhammad Sohail Afzal, who is leading the team, said that it would be the first study of its kind in Pakistan. “Our study results will not only give an idea about the disease spread by asymptomatic carriers but also provide scientific insight into the future of our population immunity against coronavirus,” he said adding the study would provide an idea about the individuals who might already have developed a certain level of immunity and could continue serving and/or return to work. Once we understand more about the immunity of Covid-19, it could also help society return faster to normality, he added. President UMT Ibrahim Hassan Murad said UMT researchers had already conducted studies on risk factor analysis and results showed that there was no significant difference in clinical findings of home isolated and hospitalised Covid-19 positive individuals. He added these study findings would definitely be helpful for the policymakers as these results were very encouraging from population point of view and support home isolation if required.