Under 65s in Plymouth and Newquay needed for study looking at whether booster COVID-19 vaccines should be given at the same time as flu vaccines
People aged 65 and under who have received their first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine are needed to take part in a clinical trial running at Newquay Health Centre and Knowle House Surgery in Crownhill, Plymouth. The new ComFluCOV study could set the foundations for how booster COVID-19 vaccinations are delivered in the future.
The study, supported by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Clinical Research Network South West Peninsula (CRN SWP), will determine whether booster COVID-19 vaccines should be given at the same time as flu vaccines.
While there are vaccines that have been approved to protect against COVID-19 in the UK, it is not yet known whether further booster doses may be required to give continued protection, and how giving boosters might fit in with the seasonal flu jab programme.
The new study, being led by Bristol Trials Centre (CTEU) at the University of Bristol and University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW), will look at the side effects and immune response given when people receive their COVID-19 booster and flu vaccine at the same appointment.
The study will involve people aged 18 – 65-years-old who have received their first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccination and are awaiting their second dose. Each participant will receive the second dose of the same COVID-19 vaccine they originally received and those who are eligible to take part will then be allocated into one of two groups:
- One group will receive their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and the flu vaccine at their first visit, then a saline injection (placebo) at their second visit
- The other group will receive their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and a saline injection (placebo) at their first visit and then the flu vaccine at their second visit
Dr Jacobsen, GP at Newquay Health Centre, said: “We are very excited to offer this important clinical trial to the population of Cornwall.”
Dr Jonathan Garstang, at Knowle House Surgery, said: “We are extremely excited to be taking part in this research study, and to be involved in the ongoing research into treatments against COVID-19. Please note we are only able to include patients registered at our surgery who are awaiting the second dose of the Pfizer Vaccination.”
Dr Rajeka Lazarus, a consultant in infectious diseases and microbiology at UHBW and Chief Investigator for the trial, said: “With the challenges of immunising large numbers of people against COVID-19 and the need to continue the seasonal influenza vaccination schedule, this next phase of vital research will establish whether it’s possible for us to protect people from both of these viruses at the same appointment.
“This would mean fewer appointments for those who need both vaccines, reducing the burden on those who have underlying health conditions and would usually be offered the influenza vaccine.”
For more information about the study and to sign up visit the vaccine trial website: https://comflucov.blogs.bristol.ac.uk
Frequently asked questions about the study can be found on the UHBW website.
The UK public can continue to support the national effort to speed up vaccine research and receive more information about volunteering for future vaccine studies by visiting the NHS COVID-19 Vaccine Research Registry.
