Covid Youngsters sought for virus research project

CHILDREN across Bristol are being recruited for a new study in the fight against coronavirus. Young people under the age of 20 across the city are being sought to take part in the study which will look at how their immune systems respond to Covid-19.

The study team is especially keen for people to participate from the following postcodes: BS2, BS3, BS8, BS20, BS37, BS41.

A £20 voucher will be offered for those taking part.

The research project will also look at how young people’s immune systems respond to vaccines for other infectious diseases.

The results will help decide whether changes are needed to the UK’s vaccine schedule and give greater understanding about the number of Covid infections in the UK.

The research project is being run by the Bristol Children’s Vaccine Centre (BCVC) at Bristol Medical School, and the Oxford Vaccine Group which is part of the University of Oxford.

The aim of this study is to help understand the STORY (Serum Testing Of Representative Youngsters) of infectious diseases in the UK.

One of the ways people’s bodies develop protection against infectious diseases is by developing antibodies, either after an infection or following a vaccination.

Researchers are able to measure the antibodies to see how well protected people are from those infectious diseases.

The research team, working with Public Health England, will develop a new way of surveying how well protected people are from infectious diseases by collecting blood samples from people who represent different groups across society.

Researchers will take a sample from people aged from birth to 20 years old to look at their antibody levels against important infectious diseases.

The study team is particularly interested in the novel coronavirus (Covid19), Group C meningococcus (MenC) and diphtheria.

Dr Marion Roderick, the study’s lead investigator and visiting Senior Lecturer at Bristol Medical School and consultant paediatrician at Bristol Royal Hospital for Children, said: “This research will help us understand whether we need to make any changes to the UK vaccine schedule and tell us about the number of infections with Covid-19 in the UK.

“In Bristol we have recruited 220 young people, but we are looking for more. We have space in our half term clinic, so please get in touch if you would like to take part.”

Participants will need to make one visit to the clinic, for a blood sample, which will take approximately 45 minutes.

Participants will have the right to withdraw at any point.

To find out more about the study and how to take part, visit the STORY website, email story-study@bristol. ac.uk or call 0117 342 0160.