Researchers in Devon are recruiting around 150 participants to a world-first clinical trial which assesses the effect of a third ‘booster’ dose of Covid-19 vaccine.
The Cov-Boost study will give people a third dose of a vaccine to see whether it offers better protection against the virus than the standard two injections.
The government funded study is being run at 16 National Institute for Health Research sites, including the former NHS Nightingale Hospital Exeter site, and is being led by University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust.
Dr Ray Sheridan, Consultant at the Royal Devon & Exeter NHS Foundation Trust and Associate Clinical Professor at the University of Exeter, said: “This new trial is incredibly exciting opportunity for us to understand how effective a booster of each vaccine is in protecting against the virus and will be available to inform UK immunisation policy.
“We are particularly looking to recruit participants over the age of 70 and who were given both doses of the Pfizer vaccine before Friday 2 April 2021, and those under 70 year of age who received both doses of the Astra Zeneca vaccine before Friday 16 April 2021.”
The study will look at seven Covid-19 vaccines – Oxford-AstraZeneca, Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Novavax, Valneva, Janssen and Curevac – as potential boosters, given at least 10 to 12 weeks after a second dose.
The Exeter branch of the study is being hosted by the RD&E and is held at the former NHS Nightingale Hospital Exeter site.
To see if you’re eligible to take part, please click here to complete the pre-screening questionnaire as soon as possible and before 27 June 2021.