Participants in Greater Manchester’s first COVID-19 vaccine study have spoken about their personal experience and why they wanted to get involved.

The study is testing the safety and effectiveness of a new vaccine, developed by US biotechnology company Novavax.

Stockport NHS Foundation Trust was the first site in Greater Manchester selected to undertake the Novavax study. Almost 750 volunteers from Stockport, South East Manchester and East Cheshire areas are taking part in the trial, which closed to new participants this week. A total of 15,000 volunteers are taking part nationally.

Around 140 members of NHS staff from across Greater Manchester have been working on carrying out this study at a community sports club, supporting Stockport NHS Foundation Trust as part of a large-scale collaborative effort.

This is the first in a number of Phase 3 COVID-19 vaccine trials to be carried out in Greater Manchester, in cooperation with the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). Other COVID-19 vaccine trials are currently taking place locally and more are due to be undertaken over the coming months, calling on volunteers who have signed up to the NHS Vaccine Registry. You can still sign sign-up now.

Phase 3 studies involve many thousands of people, giving researchers insights into the effects of a vaccine on a much larger population than phase 1 and 2 studies.

Dr David Baxter, Principal Investigator for the trial at Stockport NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We have had an absolutely tremendous response from the public in joining in our research trial. Establishing safe vaccines to combat COVID-19 has been one of the key medical challenges the world has faced in modern times, and people have been very keen to help our research team with this.

“I’d like to say a huge thank you to all our volunteers for their time, effort and support, and also acknowledge the considerable input from healthcare staff both in Stockport and from across Greater Manchester for their tireless work in the study.”

Participants in the Novavax trial at Stockport have explained their reasons for volunteering and given an insight into what taking part in a COVID-19 vaccine trial involves. [More participant accounts are available on the NIHR website].

 Stephen, 39, of Edgeley, said:

“I’ve never taken part in research before, but I wanted to get involved in this trial because of the situation with COVID-19. I’ve got a few friends and family who have not really left the house since the beginning of the pandemic, so I just thought the sooner we can get back to some variation of normal, the better, and a vaccine could help with that.

“On the day of my first appointment, I was given detailed information at every stage about what the trial involves and why it is taking place. A doctor then did some thorough measurements and checks with me before I was given either the vaccine that`s being trialled or a placebo. The nursing team was really thorough and talked me through exactly what the next steps will be as I continue through the trial."

Sarah, 43, of Ashton-under-Lyne, said:

“I have a young family and obviously the current situation has really changed the way that we live, so I am really keen to do anything that will help everyone out of this situation.

“When I arrived, Dr Baxter [the lead researcher on the trial at StockportI] sat everyone down and explained the process and talked about how the vaccine trials work. He explained that this is Phase 3 and what that means. There was an opportunity to ask questions and it was a really good process.

“We were in a group of seven [for the initial introductory session] and it was a really open opportunity to ask anything we were concerned about. All the way through, when I met the doctor and the nurse at the next stages, that was the same. It’s been a really pleasant experience despite there being needles involved. I did worry a little bit, but it’s been fine.”

Wayne, 47, of Stockport, said:

“There are a number of reasons why I’m taking part. It’s been awful for people having to self-isolate; my mum is in a high-risk category as she’s over-75 and I haven’t seen her since Christmas. You always feel as though you should do something and there are things like volunteering to help with food banks, or things such as that, but that’s just not been something I’ve been able to do. I lost my job recently and I thought ‘I’m fit, I’m healthy, and if I can help out and help other people who are worse off than me, then why not do it’. And getting involved with this trial was a very straightforward process.

“I would certainly encourage other people to consider doing it. Once you are here, you are made to feel welcome and you’re made to feel appreciated as well, I didn’t realise how important the study was until the doctor went through it with me. You really do feel you are contributing to getting a vaccine and getting us out of this mess.”

Andrew, 72, of Stockport, said:

“With something like COVID-19, you can feel so hopeless and that there’s nothing much you can do about it, so I felt that committing to the research was just a small act that I could make.

“There is a very clear system of arriving safely, being booked in and being given very clear information by the lead researcher of the study; followed by an assessment with a doctor, various tests with the nurse and finally an injection and information to take home. I had a lot of information beforehand and that same information, and more, was given again. It was very clear what was required and what was involved.”

More participants can be found on the NIHR website page below, which also includes videos of some of the participants NIHR Covid19 trial particpants page.