A research study in Hartlepool into a COVID-19 vaccine has been praised by volunteers involved – in the same week it comes a step closer to being approved for use.
The trial at the University Hospital of Hartlepool is one of many sites across the country running the Novavax study.
This week, Novavax completed the application to have the COVID-19 vaccine authorised in the UK. It is based on data from 15,000 volunteers in this country.
Participant feedback
Carol Ryan is one of these participants from the trial in Hartlepool. She sent some feedback to the team recently.
Part of it said: “I have received all the information on the trails and been kept up to date with the progress and I was given the opportunity to leave when Pfizer and AstraZeneca were approved.
“But I said that I was going to stay with the Novavax trial and it didn’t make sense to leave halfway through, I had started it so I will finish it.
“I know that some of the participants were getting frustrated with the progress of the vaccine being approved. And I am sure that all the research team were as frustrated too. For whatever reason that the approval has not been given yet, I don’t regret taking part in the trial.
“I would like to say a big thank you to all the staff that have been at Hartlepool hospital dealing with all the participants and answering questions when they could.
“Making sure we were all okay and checking on us. I know you all have probably been working on the wards at the hospitals as well as helping with the trial participants. Thank you for all research staff from day one, you are the backbone against this fight with COVID. Thank you, thank you.”
The Hartlepool centre is run as part of a joint collaboration between research teams at:
- North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust
- South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust
For more information about research trials at our Trust, visit our research and development page.