CU Boulder Among 21 Universities Studying Whether COVID Vaccine Prevents Virus Transmission
BOULDER, Colo. (CBS4) - As thousands of Coloradans get vaccinated every day, a lingering question remains: do vaccines prevent transmission of coronavirus? A new federally funded trial led by the COVID-19 Prevention Network at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle will explore that question, among others.
A total of 12,000 students from 21 universities around the country, including University of Colorado Boulder, will participate in the five-month trial.
"It's important to really understand, if I'm vaccinated, sure I'm safer, but in turn, does this also provide some protection to others?" said Chris DeSouza, an integrative physiology professor and co-organizer of the CU Boulder trial.
Last Thursday, CU Boulder was the first site to begin the trial, which is focused on the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. The goal is to enroll 700 students between the ages of 18 and 26. Half would receive the vaccine immediately and half would get it several months later.
"This will be highly applicable, we believe, to other mRNA-based vaccines, such as the Pfizer vaccine," DeSouza said.
On Thursday, the first 11 students received their first dose, including Olivia Parsons. The 22-year-old neuroscience major said she couldn't say yes fast enough after learning about the trial.
"Being fortunate enough to even have this opportunity, I feel like I couldn't pass it up because it impacts so many people beyond me that it just feels right," Parsons said.
According to DeSouza, students will fill out diaries, get tested twice a week, and swab their nostrils every day. They'll also get their blood drawn occasionally.
If someone participating in the study tests positive for COVID-19, those close to them will also be monitored. Researchers plan to track about 25,000 close contacts of participants nationwide.
"If an infection occurs, we can study the kinetics of when that infection occurred and how long it's residing in their nasal passages," DeSouza.
The study is expected to wrap up this fall or early winter. Its findings could influence decisions on campus and around the country.
"The students so far who've enrolled in the study want to be a part of the solution. They want to at least make a contribution towards providing this kind of information," DeSouza said. "It's an important population to study, but the results will be translatable to other populations."
DeSouza said nearly 1,000 students have expressed interest in enrolling in the trial. The doses administered to students are specifically earmarked for research.