I've been accepted on the COVID-19 Vaccine Trial

[roses2]

I've been offered a place on the COVID-19 trial being run by Imperial College.

I'm a little nervous and still debating whether or not to accept. I'm female, BAME and I have two children.

Help me make a decision! What should I do?

[noarguments]

Not read the whole thread, but I had my screening yesterday and am waiting to see if I’m accepted. There was lots of info about the risks and I am reasonably reassured. It’s something I’ve always thought about doing and this seems like a good opportunity. I’m not expecting any payment, it’s not what I’m doing it for.

[Ilovecandlez]

I am due a consultation for this. I read you need a weekly swab. Are you prevented from going on holiday do you know if you sign up ? ( I know we can’t at the minute but I’m summer that might change)

[BakedCam]

The Nightingales are empty, reddish because the current measures of lockdown were to give the NHS time to build capacity. Once the restrictions begin to be lifted, the Nightingales will be used.

The lockdown was an enema. Clear out the NHS and ensure there was capacity to treat patients with Covid-19 whilst treating for other illnesses and treatments.

Just because the media isnt reporting this doesn't mean it wasnt happening. The message was clear. 'Protect the NHS'

[Slattery]

Yet the media paint a very different picture.

Do they? Could you link to some reports in the last few days or the last week where the headlines are saying that hospitals are in fact overrun? Certainly the articles I've been reading say that A&E is very quiet, there is spare bed capacity in ITU and that wards are relatively quiet also. The Nightingale hospitals are also empty - blessedly so. Perhaps we read different newspapers!

[redbushtea]

Like why are our hospitals so quiet and empty. There was actually a thread by NHS staff confirming this a few days. Yet the media paint a very different picture.

[BakedCam]

Yes, like what @redbushtea ?

[BakedCam]

Your reasons for declining are perfectly reasoned and measured.

[Slattery]

I'll bite - like what @redbushtea?

[redbushtea]

You have made a good decision in not going ahead with the trial. There are too many weird things around this whole Covid 19 business.

[Lovely1a2b3c]

Hi OP,

It sounds like a good decision not to go ahead with the vaccine trial. However they would compare the Covid vaccine group to the Meningitis group. That way some of those recruited from each group would naturally contract Covid (even with social distancing in place) and they can see whether the Covid jab has any impact on the outcome for the Covid-jab group, compared to the Meningitis jab group.

[roses2]

They said because there isn't a known cure they won't introduce the virus to a human. One of the reasons In was interested in the research on mice was to understand if they had done this and what was the outcome.

So if you're not exposed to the virus, and the probability is low due to current social distancing, how will they know if the antibodies are adequate?

[Motorina]

That's why they split you into two groups - one who gets the real vaccine, and one who gets the meningitis vaccine. Then they look at infection rates in each of the groups.

If there's a clear difference, it suggests the vaccine is working.

But, yes, the lockdown is an issue. Ideally they would test the vaccine in a population the disease is rampaging uncontrolled, to get the clearest results, but that's obviously undesirable looking at the broader picture!

[BBCONEANDTWO]

I think you're brave for doing it and the money being offered is definitely not enough.

[Slattery]

But they’d be looking for antibodies, not necessarily to see whether you catch it or not?

Or they’d expose you to the virus on purpose to see if you caught it.

[FuzzyPuffling]

Wouldn't they be looking to see if you had produced antibodies in your blood, rather than whether or not you catch CV19?

[roses2]

No worries :). It was really interesting researching this and certainly not a waste of the several hours I already put into this.

One of the requirements of the trial was that I cannot use public trnasport to go to/from appointments - I need to go in my own car.

It feels like the trial is biased already. If I am wfh, not using public transport, only going out for a walk once a day then of course there is a low likelihood that I'll develop coronovirus. At the end of the study, with social distancing mesasures still in place, how on earth do they prove that I didn't get coronovirus because the vaccine was protecting me?

[FTMF30]

Thanks for updating us OP. It's great that you considered it carefully instead of blindly going for it.

[roses2]

I thought I would update to say I decided this morning to decline the trial for two main reasons:

1. One month of animal testing has taken place but there are no research papers / news interviews providing any feedback of how these trials went; what we observed
   
2. With social distancing measures in place the likelihood of this trial identifying if the vaccine is successful or not seems flawed and my participation is unlikely to be helpful in the results. A better for would be e.g. a supermarket worker or a nurse
   
   
3. was the main reason. I would have been happy to participate if I could understand what the outcome was on the mice they've tested but they aren't publicising that for whatever reason.
   
   Anyhow thanks all for your input! It was really great to bounce ideas off you all.

[terrigrey]

I wouldn't if I had children.
BAME is a very high risk category- I'm BAME too and I would love you to get a vaccine for our community - but I think is a big risk and I would hate for you to regret it.

Easy for the other poster to say 'thanks and go for it' when they are not risking anything.

[HeavenlyEyes]

Amazing - well done. So impressed.

[Nanalisa60]

Good for you, let us know how it goes!!
What you are doing is awesome.

[MarshaBradyo]

Good on you op

[stuckindoors77]

Really interesting, keep us posted!!

[mynameiscalypso]

Well done OP; really interested to follow what happens if you're happy to update.

[Girlymom2]

So brave OP thank you for volunteering!! I’m way up North of England so too far away from any sights. I definitely will be following your journey! 😄