MultiCare seeking participants for Novavax COVID-19 vaccine trial

0

Inland Northwest residents can now participate in a clinical trial for Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine.

Anyone interested can register here.

MultiCare Health System announced Monday that they are bringing the phase three clinical trial to the Inland Northwest. More than 100 clinics and hospitals around the country participating in this Novavax trial.

Noravax’s COVID-19 vaccine is protein-based. (Both the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccine are messenger RNA vaccines.) The Noravax vaccine also does not need to be kept in extremely-cold temperatures, which would make it easier to store and distribute.

MultiCare is looking to enroll 300 people to participate in the trial at the Rockwood Clinic in Cheney. Participants will also be compensated monetarily for an undisclosed amount.

MultiCare stated they want a diverse group of people, including people 65 and older, people with underlying medical conditions, and people from racial and ethnic groups disproportionately affected by the pandemic.

Two out of three people participating in the trial will receive two injections of the vaccine spaced three weeks apart. The vaccine is designed to create neutralizing antibodies to fight COVID-19 infection.

The remaining one-third of participants will receive injections of a placebo made of saline (sterile salt water) solution.

MultiCare doctors and researchers are holding a virtual town hall where people can ask questions and learn more.

The online event will start at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 12. People can register for the event here.

Over 30,000 people across the United States and Mexico are expected to participate in the phase-three trial.


 

FOX28 Spokane©