Clinical trial NCT04472793: Repeated Employee Testing for Understanding Our Recovery to Normal
Official title: Repeated Employee Testing for Understanding Our Recovery to Normal
Study type: OBSERVATIONAL
Overall status: UNKNOWN
Conditions: COVID-19
Lead sponsor: Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2020-07-15
Enrollment: 200
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Observational model: CASE_CONTROL
Time perspective: PROSPECTIVE
Sampling method: NON_PROBABILITY_SAMPLE
Study population: Adult men and women who are employed full time at Cincinnati Children's Hospital.

Brief summary: The purpose of this research study is 1) to conduct a prospective longitudinal surveillance research trial, enrolling up to 200 CCHMC employees as they come back to work, and then following their clinical and laboratory parameters for up to 12 months; and 2) to support the ongoing development of diagnostic techniques for COVID-19. The overall goal is to investigate patterns of SARS-COV-2 infection, including immunological recovery and genetic risk factors, among CCHMC employees to better understand how to safely reintroduce the CCHMC work force back into their normal routines.

Detailed description: As the global and pandemic spread of the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19) continues, many knowledge gaps remain with regard to the epidemiology and transmission of infection, as well as the normal immunological responses after viral exposure. Cincinnati only recently (March 14, 2020) had its first confirmed case of COVID-19, and through shelter-in-place and social distancing efforts, has avoided the community spread experienced by some other large metropolitan areas. As investigators contemplate the gradual reintroduction of the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC) workforce back into the hospital, it is imperative that investigators determine the current prevalence of infection among CCHMC employees, measure the cumulative incidence of infection over the next 12 months, investigate the normal antibody patterns after infection, and help elucidate what constitutes a protective immunological response. Investigators have a unique but time-limited opportunity to optimally track the epidemiology and natural history of SARS-CoV-2 infection at CCHMC, including risk factors for transmission and immunological recovery. RETURN will investigate epidemiological and immunological features of SARS-CoV-2 virus infection in a limited cohort of CCHMC employees, as they return from the current shelter-at-home directive toward a normal work environment. By collecting and analyzing weekly serial samples for SARS-CoV-2 (nasal swab for virus by PCR) and monthly serological exposure (serum antibodies by ELISA), investigators will determine the prevalence and cumulative incidence of exposure to SARS-CoV-2; document the antibody responses over time; identify cases of apparent viral recrudescence or re-infection; and create models of transmission risk among CCHMC employees.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Current full-time employees at Cincinnati Children's Hospital
* Age: \>18.0 years of age, at the time of enrollment
* Cell phone that can be used for text messaging or web-based viewing of surveys
* Willing and able to provide informed consent
* Ability to comply with all study related evaluations and follow-up

Exclusion Criteria:

* Previous proven SARS-CoV-2 infection (positive PCR-based molecular test)
* Any condition or illness that makes study participation ill-advised
* Currently or planning to enroll in a COVID-19 vaccine or prophylaxis study

Primary outcomes:
measure: The 6-month cumulative incidence of acquired COVID infection in the study cohort.
timeFrame: Weekly for 6 months
Secondary outcomes:
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Cincinnati
country: United States
facility: Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center
state: Ohio
Study officials:
affiliation: Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati
name: Russell Ware, MD, PhD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
affiliation: Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati
name: Mary Allen Staat, MD, MPH
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References: