University Hospital Southampton is looking for volunteers aged 12-16 years old who have received either one or zero doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to take part in their COVID-19 vaccine trial.
The purpose of the trial, part of the Com-COV 3 study, is to test how well young people aged 12-16 years respond to two doses of COVID-19 vaccine, comparing three different vaccines at different doses. The study involves six visits to University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust over approximately 12 months.
Led by the University of Oxford the study is backed through funding from the Vaccines Taskforce, the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and the National Immunisation Schedule Evaluation Consortium. University Hospital Southampton is one of four centres running the study.
It will recruit 360 volunteers across the UK, and hopes to report initial results by December. If the results are promising, regulators MHRA and JCVI would formally assess the safety and efficacy of any new vaccination process before advising whether it is rolled out to patients.
Dr Katrina Cathie, Consultant in General Paediatrics and Paediatric Research at University Hospital Southampton and local lead for the trial, said:
“We are really pleased to be able to offer local adolescents the opportunity to take part in this trial, looking at different COVID-19 vaccines used as a second dose.
“Currently healthy 12-17 year olds are being offered a single COVID-19 vaccine in the NHS. The results from this trial are expected around Christmas and will directly inform decisions about the roll-out of a second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine in this age group in the spring.
“Young people aged 12-16 years can visit the study website to find out more and to register their interest. The study team will then be in touch to arrange the first visit if they are eligible.
“In Wessex we are looking for 90 young people aged 12-16 years who can attend Southampton hospital for 5-6 study visits over the next year, primarily after school and at weekends to avoid disruption to schooling.
“We have had brilliant responses and support from the public taking part in many other COVID-19 vaccine trials in the last 18 months and we have no doubt there will be significant interest in this study from our local population in Wessex.”
Further information, including details of how to participate, is available on the Com-COV 3 website.
