Can vaccinated people spread COVID-19?
Contributed By:The 411 News
New study to test COVID-19 infection, transmission among vaccinated college students
Bloomington, Ind. -- Indiana University Bloomington has been selected as a study site and is enrolling participants for a new clinical trial that will evaluate whether the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine prevents infection and spread of the virus among college students and their close contacts.
The clinical trial, called Prevent COVID U, is led by Molly Rosenberg and Christina Ludema of the IU School of Public Health-Bloomington and Dr. Aaron Ermel of the IU School of Medicine. The research team's findings will help scientists answer key questions about life after vaccination, about mask use and social distancing for fully vaccinated people.
The university's COVID-19 testing and contact tracing system to prevent and contain the spread of COVID-19 on campus made this study site possible, the researchers said.
"We know that we have a growing arsenal of vaccines that are extremely effective at preventing COVID-19 disease and death," Rosenberg said. "But we don't know whether any of these vaccines, including the Moderna vaccine, prevent asymptomatic transmission. Before we can 'return to normal' after vaccination, this question needs to be answered."
Study participants will be randomly split into two groups.
The first group will be vaccinated immediately, and the second group will be vaccinated four months later. Both groups will receive the required two doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.
Participants will complete questionnaires with an electronic diary app, swab their nose daily to test for COVID-19 infection, and provide periodic blood samples.
People identified by study participants as their close contacts will also be tested for COVID-19 infection, and the degree of COVID-19 transmission from vaccinated people will be determined by the infection rate in these close contacts.
Story Posted:03/30/2021
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