This concerns a single-center prospective interventional cohort study. Laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 patients will be asked to donate blood at at least two different timepoints. This will allow us to investigate T and B cell evolutions during the course of infection and recovery. The expected duration of the study is four months or the total duration of the SARS-CoV-2 circulation in Belgium (whichever is shortest).

Inclusion Criteria:

• laboratory confirmed COVID-19 acute infection
• be older than 18 years of age
• be hospitalized at the UZA
• willing and able to provide written informed consent by the participant or its legal representative (for instance in case of medical incapacitation)

Exclusion Criteria:

• younger than 18 years old
• Ambulatory patients

The study will be conducted in an in-patient hospital setting. Patients will be recruited at UZA, where SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals might present. Patients with (mild) respiratory complaints and suspected risk of having contracted SARS-CoV-2 (risk contact with confirmed case, travel history to endemic area) will be tested and isolated in awaiting laboratory SARS-CoV-2 test results. In case of mild respiratory complaints, people will be discharged immediately for home isolation; while patients in need for hospital care will be hospital-admitted (in isolation rooms). If SARS-CoV-2 test results return positive, these hospitalized patients will be asked to participate in this study.