Wessex Research Hubs has recruited nearly 240 participants across three centres to help research a potential vaccine for norovirus. If found to be effective, a vaccine would be especially beneficial for elderly people who are most severely impacted by the infection.
Dr Patrick Moore, co-director of Wessex Research Hubs, said: “We are really delighted that many people who have taken part in our previous clinical trials were so keen to participate again. This vaccine has such potential to both really help protect individuals, and also relieve pressure across our health and care system. This is such important work and we couldn’t do any of this without our participants – you really are helping save and improve lives by coming forward to take part in health research.”
Marian comes by bus to take part in the Portsmouth Research Hub. She was also involved in our NextCove trial, a study researching a covid vaccine.
Marian's daughter and and son-in-law are both nurses which helped raise her awareness of the importance of health research in driving forwards improvements.
“I take part for the common good," she said. "The reason I volunteered is that there’s not a lot you can do when you are my age – if you apply to work as a volunteer, you are often deemed too old. Suddenly this was something I could do. I am a public-spirited soul, fit, well and active and it is something I can do to benefit others. And the whole team in the hub is lovely. I enjoy coming in.”
Neil is taking part in Nova 301 in our most newly opened centre, Weymouth Research Hub. "Being science-trained I thought it would be good to something back to the community," he said.
Neil heard about the opportunity via an email from Be Part of Research, the national registry for those interested in health research. To register, you can navigate via the "your health" choices section within the NHS app, or visit the Be Part website. It is a good idea to sign up to this website to hear about a whole range of studies, both for healthy volunteers and those with specific conditions.
Margaret is a retired teacher. She enjoys making a day of it when she needs to come into Portsmouth Research Hub.
“This vaccine has been the chance to be world changing. You listen almost on a daily basis to news reports that norovirus cases are on the up. I know it’s a really nasty bug and I just thought, I need to join in with this trial. It’s a good thing to do, it’s really worth it. I also came to this hub to take part in the covid vaccine research, and I was happy to be involved again.”
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