Want a COVID booster shot? University of Washington among schools seeking volunteers
Researchers from the University of Washington need volunteers for a COVID booster vaccine trial.
The trial, led by the UW’s School of Medicine in Seattle, will test a participant’s immune response to the booster shot — specifically to test its “safety and tolerability,” according to a news release from the medical school.
The goal of the trial is to “elicit an immune response to multiple SARS-CoV-2 proteins in addition to the spike protein that is targeted by currently available vaccines made by Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson.”
In targeting multiple proteins, researchers said they hope the booster will protect people from a variety of COVID strains and variants.
“With the emergence of the Delta and other COVID-19 variants, we need to stay ahead of the virus by developing effective vaccines that will aid in the prevention of all strains of COVID,” Director of the UW Medicine Virology Research Clinic and head the UW School of Medicine’s allergies and infectious diseases division Dr. Anna Wald said.
Who can enroll?
Anyone 18 years and older
Fully vaccinated four months before the enrollment
Healthy
Without significant allergies
Hasn’t had COVID-19 before
If someone meets all of the qualifications, they are eligible for the vaccine trial.
What will be asked of participants?
Attend nine to 14 in-person clinic visits and one to two phone check-ins over the course of 12 to 14 months
Receive one or two shots of the vaccine
Blood will be drawn “several times” to monitor immune response and safety of the vaccine
Record how one is feeling after the shot
“We hope that these investigational vaccines enhance and broaden the immune response elicited by vaccines currently available in the U.S.,” said Dr. Tia Babu, acting assistant professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine.
Schools in Texas, Missouri and Georgia are also conducting booster vaccine trials.
- Decatur, Georgia: Emory Vaccine Center, The Hope Clinic
- St. Louis: Saint Louis University, Center for Vaccine Development
- Houston: Baylor College of Medicine, Molecular Virology and Microbiology
This story was originally published September 17, 2021 at 7:50 PM with the headline "Want a COVID booster shot? University of Washington among schools seeking volunteers."
