Unique symptoms, antigens, genetic code, and testing accuracy for antigens and genetic code for SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19

Health Research Authority did not have the information requested.

Dear Health Research Authority,

Based upon previous responses to my FOI the standard response is
"...it has long been known that viral diseases cannot be identified in this way as viruses cannot be grown in ‘pure culture’.
When a patient is tested for a viral illness, this is normally done by looking for the presence of antigens, or viral genetic code in a host with molecular biology techniques"

Accordingly please provide a full, accurate and complete list of records held within your office, and / or under your authority, supporting the following claims;

1 - Which symptoms uniquely identify COVID-19?
2 - Which viral antigens uniquely identify COVID-19?
3 - Which viral genetic code uniquely identifies SARS-Cov-2?
4 - What is the accuracy of the testing method for unique COVID-19 antigens upon which those governing rely upon, with supporting scientific verification?
5 - What is the accuracy of the testing method for unique SARS-Cov-2 genetic code upon which those governing rely upon, with supporting scientific verification?
6 - https://www.gov.uk/guidance/high-consequ...
shows updates detailing the explanation of the removal of COVID-19 from the HCID list was on the version dated 21 March 2019. However there is no link to the source document.
Please provide source document from "the 4 nations public health HCID group..." that supported the decision that " As of 19 March 2020, COVID-19 is no longer considered to be a high consequence infectious disease (HCID) in the UK.".

If any records match the above description and are available to the public elsewhere, please provide enough information so that I may identify and access each record with certainty (i.e. title, author(s), date, journal, and weblink or location where the public may access it).
I remind you full, accurate and complete disclosure is required.

Yours faithfully,

Marc Horn

FOI, Health Research Authority

Dear Marc,

 

Freedom of Information (FOI) Act request

 

Thank you for your email dated 25 August 2020 requesting the following
information:

 

o A full, accurate and complete list of records held by the HRA
detailing:

 

1 - Which symptoms uniquely identify COVID-19?

 

2 - Which viral antigens uniquely identify COVID-19?

 

3 - Which viral genetic code uniquely identifies SARS-Cov-2?

 

4 - What is the accuracy of the testing method for unique COVID-19
antigens upon which those governing rely upon, with supporting scientific
verification?

 

5 - What is the accuracy of the testing method for unique SARS-Cov-2
genetic code upon which those governing rely upon, with supporting
scientific verification?

 

6 – The support document from the Four Nations public health HCID group
that supported the decision that " As of 19 March 2020, COVID-19 is no
longer considered to be a high consequence infectious disease (HCID) in
the UK." as referred to in the following link -
[1]https://www.gov.uk/guidance/high-consequ...

 

Your request is being handled under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act
and has been referred to the appropriate personnel for investigation.  We
will provide you with a response as soon as possible, but no later than 23
September 2020.

 

Kind regards,

Susannah

       

Freedom of Information

Health Research Authority

HRA | Skipton House, 80 London Road | London | SE1 6LH

T. 0207 972 2487

E. [2][email address]

W. [3]www.hra.nhs.uk

 

Our latest guidance on how the upcoming GDPR affects health research is
[4]now live

 

Sign up to receive our newsletter [5]HRA Latest.
 

show quoted sections

FOI, Health Research Authority

Dear Marc,

 

Freedom of Information (FOI) Act request

 

We are writing in response to your request for information, under the FOI
Act, dated 25 August 2020.  Thank you for your enquiry. You requested the
following information:

 

o  A full, accurate and complete list of records held by the HRA
detailing:

 

1 - Which symptoms uniquely identify COVID-19?

 

2 - Which viral antigens uniquely identify COVID-19?

 

3 - Which viral genetic code uniquely identifies SARS-Cov-2?

 

4 - What is the accuracy of the testing method for unique COVID-19
antigens upon which those governing rely upon, with supporting scientific
verification?

 

5 - What is the accuracy of the testing method for unique SARS-Cov-2
genetic code upon which those governing rely upon, with supporting
scientific verification?

 

6 – The support document from the Four Nations public health HCID group
that supported the decision that " As of 19 March 2020, COVID-19 is no
longer considered to be a high consequence infectious disease (HCID) in
the UK." as referred to in the following link -
[1]https://www.gov.uk/guidance/high-consequ...

 

Our response is as follows:

 

o The HRA is not involved in collecting the information that you have
requested and we therefore do not hold this information. The remit of
the HRA is to protect and promote the interests of patients and the
public in health and social care research. Please find attached a link
to our website which provides further information on what we do:
 [2]https://www.hra.nhs.uk/about-us/.

 

We hope that this information is helpful to you, but should you require
further clarification, please let us know.

 

If you are unhappy about the way in which your request has been handled,
the HRA has an internal complaints procedure through which you can raise
any concerns.  Further details of this procedure may be obtained by
contacting the Complaints Manager via [3][email address].  If you are
dissatisfied with the outcome of the complaints procedure, you can apply
to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), who will consider whether
we, as a public authority, have complied with its obligations under the
Act, and can require the HRA to remedy any problems.  You can find out
more about how to do this, and about the Act in general, on their website
[4]www.ico.org.uk.  Complaints should be sent to:

FOI Complaints Resolution – Information Commissioner’s Office

Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 5AF

 

Kind regards,

Susannah

       

Freedom of Information

Health Research Authority

HRA | Skipton House, 80 London Road | London | SE1 6LH

T. 0207 972 2487

E. [5][email address]

W. [6]www.hra.nhs.uk

 

Our latest guidance on how the upcoming GDPR affects health research is
[7]now live

 

Sign up to receive our newsletter [8]HRA Latest.
 

From: FOI <[9][email address]>
Sent: 30 August 2020 16:16
To: Marc Horn <[10][FOI #687485 email]>
Subject: Acknowledgement of FOI request 2021/FOI/030

 

Dear Marc,

 

Freedom of Information (FOI) Act request

 

Thank you for your email dated 25 August 2020 requesting the following
information:

 

o A full, accurate and complete list of records held by the HRA
detailing:

 

1 - Which symptoms uniquely identify COVID-19?

 

2 - Which viral antigens uniquely identify COVID-19?

 

3 - Which viral genetic code uniquely identifies SARS-Cov-2?

 

4 - What is the accuracy of the testing method for unique COVID-19
antigens upon which those governing rely upon, with supporting scientific
verification?

 

5 - What is the accuracy of the testing method for unique SARS-Cov-2
genetic code upon which those governing rely upon, with supporting
scientific verification?

 

6 – The support document from the Four Nations public health HCID group
that supported the decision that " As of 19 March 2020, COVID-19 is no
longer considered to be a high consequence infectious disease (HCID) in
the UK." as referred to in the following link -
[11]https://www.gov.uk/guidance/high-consequ...

 

Your request is being handled under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act
and has been referred to the appropriate personnel for investigation.  We
will provide you with a response as soon as possible, but no later than 23
September 2020.

 

Kind regards,

Susannah

       

Freedom of Information

Health Research Authority

HRA | Skipton House, 80 London Road | London | SE1 6LH

T. 0207 972 2487

E. [12][email address]

W. [13]www.hra.nhs.uk

 

Our latest guidance on how the upcoming GDPR affects health research is
[14]now live

 

Sign up to receive our newsletter [15]HRA Latest.
 

show quoted sections