Procedure

All people aged 18 years and older who were randomly selected from the population registers of the cities of Mainz, Koblenz, Trier, Kaiserslautern and Ludwigshafen and received an invitation by post were eligible to participate. A total of 14,000 people were included in the project. Random selection from the population registers, taking into account the age and sex distribution of the respective cities, made it possible to obtain a representative sample. This, in turn, allowed reliable conclusions to be drawn about the infection situation in the population of Rhineland-Palatinate. The random sampling procedure was reviewed and approved in advance by the Data Protection Officer of the University Medical Center Mainz. Such population register information in the public interest is covered by Section 46 MG.

Participants received packages containing SARS-CoV-2 rapid antigen tests free of charge by post. A smartphone app (SentiSurv RLP App) was developed for the project. The results of the weekly rapid antigen tests, along with other relevant information, were entered into the app and digitally transmitted to the SentiSurv team. Data were collected exclusively via the SentiSurv RLP App in order to minimise the burden on participants. The data were then continuously analysed and presented in a clear and accessible format on the dashboard.