Royal Free begins Novavax COVID-19 vaccine recruitment

The Royal Free London NHS Trust has started recruiting to a national study to find a vaccine for COVID-19.

Members of the public are being invited to take part in the Novavax study, which is open to anyone aged from 18-84. The trust is looking to recruit 500 people to the study, which consists of two vaccine doses administered three weeks apart. Dr Fiona Burns, consultant physician and Infectious Diseases and Microbiology Specialty Lead at CRN North Thames, is the principal investigator for the Royal Free Hospital.

She said: “The local response to participate in this trial has been amazing.  We are particularly keen to recruit people in the 65 to 84 age bracket as we need to know if the vaccine is effective for those at particular risk. The results from the Phase 1 and 2 studies for this vaccine are really encouraging, but now we need to test the vaccine’s effectiveness in the wider community. Together let’s hope we can find a vaccine for COVID-19.”

Dr Burns and her team are looking for people who can travel easily to the Hampstead-based hospital to take part in the trial.

Potential participants should register their interest and then complete the pre-screening form. You will then be contacted with further information.

Please note that if you are considering taking part in the trial you must not have a history of confirmed Covid-19, or a positive antibody test. People with autoimmune and neurological diseases, and those on medications that suppress the immune system or thin the blood (other than low-dose aspirin) are unfortunately also not eligible.