COVID-19 Vaccine Study
March 2021
PI: Joanna Shisler
The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is working with the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center and the NIH to understand COVID transmission. Participants in this research study will receive a COVID-19 vaccine, conduct daily nasal swabs, and submit monthly blood samples, between April and August. You may earn up to $997 upon completion of the study. Participation is voluntary.
“PreventCOVID” is a study on select university campuses across the US to learn whether the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine stops the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus: both the initial infection and transmission in the university. By signing up, you can help answer some of the biggest questions for getting back to life and help rewrite the future. The researchers want to learn:
- Does the vaccine protect people from getting infected with a coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2?
- Does the vaccine prevent people from transmitting SARS-CoV-2 to others?
Eligibility
Am I eligible?
- Age of 18 through 26 years.
- Enrollment in a participating university and willingness to be followed for the planned duration of the study.
- Agrees to allow study staff to access university SARS-CoV-2 testing data and outcomes.
- Ability and willingness to provide informed consent.
- Agrees not to enroll in another study of an investigational research agent until the end of the study.
- Access to device and internet for Telehealth visits.
What will I have to do as a Participant?
- You will get vaccine injections.
- You will be asked to answer daily questionnaires in an eDiary app.
- You will be asked to take daily swabs of your nose and return them to the study staff for approximately four months.
- You will be asked to provide blood samples.
- You will be asked to follow additional procedures should you test positive for SARS-CoV-2 during the study.
- You will be asked to identify close contacts who will be invited to play a role in the study. These close contact groups will help researchers determine if the vaccine given to the participants of the main study prevents transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus to others.
- We will compensate you for your participation.
How to Participate
To join this study, you must sign a consent form and complete a questionnaire that will help us determine if you are eligible to join the study. This questionnaire should take no longer than 10 minutes.
What excludes you from the study:
- Self-reported known history of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
- Blood products, systemic immunoglobulins, or monoclonal antibodies (including against SARS-CoV-2) received within 90 days before first vaccination.
- Investigational research agents received within 30 days before first vaccination.
- Prior administration of a COVID-19 vaccine.
- Immunosuppressive medications received within 168 days before first vaccination
- Clinically significant medical conditions
Students interested in participating should complete the webform via the link below.
Questions: 217-265-8229 or covidvaccinestudy@illinois.edu
Viral Dynamics Research Study
January 2021
PI: Chris Brooke
This study is designed to improve our understanding of how to rapidly identify people who may be at risk of transmitting SARS-CoV-2 to others.
Control of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic could be improved by rapidly identifying and isolating individuals who are spreading the virus. Testing can play a central role in this identification, but efficient use of testing requires a better understanding of the temporal relationship between testing results and infectivity early in the course of the infection. The Viral Dynamics research team is exploring baseline factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 infectivity, with emphasis on detection of infectivity early in the course of the infection, including the period before any symptoms of COVID-19 are present. The team wants to measure the “load” of the virus as a COVID-19 case evolves, and correlate this with both symptoms and results from different testing methods.
Read a news story about the study here.
Participants
UI students, faculty, or staff who are at least 18 who test positive or are identified as contacts in the ongoing SARS-CoV-2 screening program and enter isolation (positive test) or quarantine (contacts) per protocol can participate in this study. Participants can be symptomatic or asymptomatic at the time of enrollment.
Additionally, participants must:
- have a negative test in UI screening program within 7 days of enrollment
- have a mobile device or access to the internet
- download an app specifically for this study
- be available in isolation/quarantine on or near campus for at least 14 days following their initial positive result or designation as a contact
How the Study Works
Potential participants will be alerted to the study by text message. If you decide to participate, you will be asked to fill out a form with your contact information. The team will then follow up with you to provide specific information about the study, including how to download the study app, called Eureka. You’ll need to download the app to enroll in the study,
Drivers will deliver collection kits directly to your household, and you’ll receive a link to an online calendar to schedule your daily sample collection with tele-visit staff. You’ll meet every day, for up to 14 days, with the tele-visit staff to observe the collection of both nasal and saliva samples. Drivers will collect these samples every day. You’ll also need to complete an online survey every day, as well.
Participants who complete the study will be eligible for a gift card. You’ll also get the satisfaction of knowing that you are taking concrete steps to help fight the pandemic!
If you have questions about the study, contact study personnel at coviddetect@illinois.edu or 217-300-2806.
