Prevalence and Risk Factors of COVID-19 in the Upper Silesian Agglomeration

Project is designed as a comprehensive population-based epidemiological study in
Upper-Silesian Conurbation (Poland) aiming at:

1. analysis of available data on incidence and mortality due to COVID-19 and

2. estimation of the occurrence of viral infection SARS-CoV-2 as revealed by the results of
serological test (ELISA: IgM, IgG), with assessment of risk factors.

The project's objectives are: to assess incidence and mortality due COVID-19 according to
sex, age and coexisting diseases; to determine the level of potential "underdiagnosis" of the
magnitude of COVID-19 mortality using vital statistics data for Upper-Silesian Conurbation;
to assess the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 based on the level of seropositivity in Upper-Silesian
Conurbation; to identify host-related and environmental risk factors if the infection.
Analysis of existing data will include monthly records on incidence and mortality over the
period 01.01.2020-31.12.2020 and comparison of the findings with the monthly records of 2018
and 2019, for the same population. Cross-sectional epidemiological study will be located in
three towne (Katowice, Sosnowiec, Gliwice). In each town a representative age-stratified
sample of 2000 subjects will undergo questionnaire assessment and serological examination
performed by serological test. The project corresponds with analogous population-based
studies on COVID-19 in a number of countries and responds to the WHO recommendation in that
field.