Muscat: The second phase of the national investigative survey on coronavirus (COVID-19) infection in the Sultanate, conducted by the Health Ministry, began on Sunday.
The 10-week study will be conducted in four stages, each lasting five days, with intervals of two weeks between the sessions.
The first stage contributed to explaining the mechanism of survey, which deals with selecting individuals of different age groups from among citizens and residents who participate in the survey in all governorates of the Sultanate.
The participants will be picked up in random order to avoid statistical bias in specimens and thereby promote the probability of generalisation of results of the survey.
The participants selected for the survey will receive text message from the Ministry of Health notifying them that they have been selected and to take their preliminary approval. The participants will then be directed to the nearest health establishment to take their written approval.
Demographical data will then be collected via Tarasud Plus programme, after which the blood group of the individuals will be taken, rather than the nose-drawn specimen.
The first stage indicated that the survey was well received in society, which is an evidence of a high sense of responsibility among individuals and communities. This will guarantee the realisation of desired objectives of the survey’s subsequent stages.