The symptoms, virology and immunity of COVID in healthcare workers

ISRCTN ISRCTN44324934
DOI https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN44324934
IRAS number 282718
Secondary identifying numbers IRAS 282718
Submission date
16/04/2020
Registration date
18/05/2020
Last edited
28/06/2024
Recruitment status
No longer recruiting
Overall study status
Completed
Condition category
Infections and Infestations
Prospectively registered
Protocol
Statistical analysis plan
Results
Individual participant data

Plain English summary of protocol

Background and study aims
COVID-19 is a condition caused by the coronavirus (called SARS-CoV-2) that was first identified in late 2019. This virus can infect the respiratory (breathing) system. Some people do not have symptoms but can carry the virus and pass it on to others. People who have developed the condition may develop a fever and/or a continuous cough among other symptoms. This can develop into pneumonia. Pneumonia is a chest infection where the small air pockets of the lungs, called alveoli, fill with liquid and make it more difficult to breathe.

In 2020, the virus has spread to many countries around the world and neither a vaccine against the virus or specific treatment for COVID-19 has yet been developed. As of March 2020, it is advised that people minimize travel and social contact, and regularly wash their hands to reduce the spread of the virus.

Groups who are at a higher risk from infection with the virus, and therefore of developing COVID-19, include people aged over 70 years, people who have long-term health conditions (such as asthma or diabetes), people who have a weakened immune system and people who are pregnant. People in these groups, and people who might come into contact with them, can reduce this risk by following the up-to-date advice to reduce the spread of the virus.

Strategies to prevent spread of infection include social distancing and the development of a vaccine. These require detailed understanding of the disease. There are some basic questions about COVID-19 to which we urgently need answers, including:
1. How often are COVID-19 tests negative during the infection or positive without showing any signs of illness?
2. Can we reliably test for immunity to COVID-19 after infection or vaccination with a blood test?
3. How long after infection does immunity last?
To answer these questions, we need to understand the links between the symptoms of COVID-19, swab tests for infection and blood tests for immunity. The researchers will study all these things in doctors and nurses working in the Emergency Department of Bristol Royal Hospital for Children over a three month period starting in April 2020.

Who can participate?
Any patient-facing clinical staff member working regularly in the Children’s Emergency Department (CED) of Bristol Royal Hospital for Children, including doctors, nurses and healthcare assistants.

What does the study involve?
Staff who agree to participate will fill out an online symptom dairy every day. Twice a week, participants will swab their own nose and throat and provide a saliva sample, which we can test for COVID-19 in the laboratory. Blood samples will be taken from participants at the beginning of the study, at 6-week intervals for 18 weeks, and again after a year. The main advantage of studying doctors and nurses is that they can easily and safely obtain samples from their own nose/throat/mouth. After the study has been completed, we will analyse the results and publish them in a scientific journal. This study will help us provide answers to the fundamental questions about COVID-19 infection that are needed to inform public health measures such as social distancing and vaccination.

What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
Benefits - By taking part you will be contributing directly to understanding the relationship between symptoms, virology and immune responses to COVID-19. This will help improve public health measures to minimise transmission, and develop tests so that vaccines can be evaluated.
Risks - Taking a throat and nasal swab might be a bit uncomfortable for a few seconds. Blood tests can also be uncomfortable and cause mild bruising. All staff taking your blood are trained and experienced. Throughout the study you can contact the study team by phone or email if you have any questions or concerns.

Where is the study run from?
Bristol Royal Hospital for Children (UK)

When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
April 2020 to April 2021

Who is funding the study?
The Grand Appeal (UK)

Who is the main contact?
Unfortunately, this study is not recruiting public volunteers at this time. This is because the research isn’t ready for volunteers yet or the researchers are directly identifying volunteers in certain areas or hospitals. Please do not contact the research team as they will not be able to respond. For more information about COVID-19 research, visit the Be Part of Research homepage.

Contact information

Prof Adam Finn
Scientific

Bristol Children's Vaccine Centre
Level 6 Education Centre
University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust
Upper Mauldin Street
Bristol
BS2 8AE
United Kingdom

ORCiD logoORCID ID 0000-0003-1756-5668
Phone +44 (0)117 342 0172
Email adam.finn@bristol.ac.uk

Study information

Study designLongitudinal observational cohort study
Primary study designObservational
Secondary study designLongitudinal study
Study setting(s)Hospital
Study typeOther
Participant information sheet Not available in web format, please use contact details to request a participant information sheet.
Scientific titleLongitudinal study of COVID-19: symptoms, virology & immunity
Study acronymLOGIC
Study objectivesWhat are the dynamic relationships between symptoms, mucosal viral load and immunological responses, which are potential correlates of protection, in SARS-CoV-2 infection?
Ethics approval(s)Approved 20/04/2020, Yorkshire & The Humber - Leeds West Research Ethics Committee (NHSBT Newcastle Blood Donor Centre, Holland Drive, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4NQ, UK; +44 (0)207 1048 088), ref: 20/YH/0148
Health condition(s) or problem(s) studiedCOVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2 infection)
Intervention1. Online consent, baseline data collection
2. Online daily symptom diary - for 3 months
3. Self-sampling upper respiratory tract (nose, throat & saliva) - twice weekly for 3 months
4. Blood sampling - weeks 0, 6, 12, 18 and 52
Intervention typeMixed
Primary outcome measureCOVID-19 symptoms measured using online daily symptom diary every day for 3 months
Secondary outcome measures1. COVID-19 infection measured using self-sampling of upper respiratory tract (nose, throat & saliva) - twice weekly for 3 months
2. Serum antibody levels and peripheral antigen-specific memory T cells measured using blood sampling at weeks 0, 6, 12, 18, and 52
Overall study start date23/03/2020
Completion date31/12/2021

Eligibility

Participant type(s)Health professional
Age groupAdult
SexBoth
Target number of participants135
Total final enrolment79
Key inclusion criteriaAny patient-facing clinical staff member working regularly in the Children’s Emergency Department (CED) of Bristol Royal Hospital for Children, including doctors, nurses and healthcare assistants
Key exclusion criteria1. Staff who, on average, work less than two shifts per week
2. Staff who anticipate that they will not able to complete at least 6 weeks of the study, excluding annual leave e.g. about to go on maternity leave
Date of first enrolment30/04/2020
Date of final enrolment20/04/2021

Locations

Countries of recruitment

  • England
  • United Kingdom

Study participating centre

Bristol Royal Hosptial for Children
University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust
Upper Mauldin Street
Bristol
BS2 8BJ
United Kingdom

Sponsor information

University of Bristol
University/education

Research Governance Team
Research & Enterprise Division
University of Bristol
Trinity Street, College Green
One Cathedral Square
Bristol
BS1 5DD
England
United Kingdom

Phone +44 (0)117 394 0177
Email research-governance@bristol.ac.uk
Website http://bristol.ac.uk/
ROR logo "ROR" https://ror.org/0524sp257

Funders

Funder type

Charity

The Grand Appeal

No information available

Results and Publications

Intention to publish date30/04/2022
Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to shareYes
IPD sharing plan summaryStored in publicly available repository
Publication and dissemination planPlanned publication in a high-impact peer-reviewed journal.
IPD sharing planThe datasets generated during and/or analysed during the current study will be stored in a publically available repository.
Available indefinitely
Consent was obtained from participants to share these laboratory data
Data fully anonymised
No ethical or legal restrictions

Study outputs

Output type Details Date created Date added Peer reviewed? Patient-facing?
Protocol file version v1.1 19/04/2020 19/05/2020 No No
HRA research summary 28/06/2023 No No
Dataset 28/06/2024 No No
Results article 09/11/2022 28/06/2024 Yes No

Additional files

ISRCTN44324934_PROTOCOL_v1.1_19Apr2020.pdf
uploaded 19/05/2020

Editorial Notes

28/06/2024: The following changes were made to the trial record:
1. Publication reference added.
2. Link to dataset added.
3. The total final enrolment was added.
4. The participant level data sharing statement was added.
16/03/2021: Internal review.
19/05/2020: Uploaded protocol (not peer reviewed) as an additional file.
18/05/2020: Trial’s existence confirmed by NHS HRA.