Infection Prevention At the Study Center

To ensure the safety of the participants and the study team, the following infection control measures were implemented consistently:

• The design of the rooms and the staff placement followed a strict hygiene concept - this included adherence to the rules of social distancing, the wearing of a face mask, consistent ventilation, regular disinfection of contact surfaces and partition guards.

• Additional protection during sample collection: employees wear FFP2 masks, protective goggles/face shield, gowns and disposable gloves.

• Scheduled appointments without waiting time of up to 130 participants per day, with a 45-minute examination each - this way, minimizing contact times was ensured.

• The examinations were conducted in 2 study centers on a large area (740 m²) and the division of the rooms consisted of 5 independent examination units - this way, the required distance could consistently be maintained.