Flu trial in St. Louis, southwest IL area now enrolling participants. Why it matters
Researchers at Saint Louis University are seeking eligible candidates to assist in research evaluating the effectiveness of an MRNA vaccine against influenza. The university is one of more than 200 sites across the U.S. participating in the clinical study.
Dr. Sarah George, professor of infectious diseases and lead investigator for the project at Saint Louis University, told the News-Democrat the study is accepting new participants who are 65 years or older and who have not yet received an influenza vaccine this season.
Participants will receive either the new MRNA shot or the already approved version, George said. SLU will recruit about 100 volunteers for the trial, which will last for roughly a year overall. Those who participate will receive $100 for every completed study visit, and each person will have at least three study visits.
The MRNA flu vaccines are developed by Pfizer, which is funding the study’s research.
Those who are interested in applying for the study can contact SLU at vaccine@slu.edu or 314-977-6333. Researchers will follow up with participants to see if they catch the flu or other respiratory viruses.
Why develop more flu vaccines?
The availability of an MRNA vaccine against flu would allow health care professionals to react more quickly to new strains, as the current vaccine takes at least six months to develop.
“The MRNA vaccines are also a lot quicker to manufacture,” George said.
SLU researchers hope to see data on the study by late 2023, though the timing will depend on a number of factors, including how many participants they’re able to recruit and how many get the flu.
The clinical research is especially timely as residents of the St. Louis area and the rest of the U.S. get infected with influenza strain H3N2, which has not been seen recently and is leading to more breakthrough cases, George said.
Although, like other vaccines, flu shots are not 100% effective in preventing infection, George said it is still important for people to receive them every single year to lessen their chances of getting sick and to protect the community.
It’s not too late to get the flu shot, and they are available at many local pharmacies, including CVS and Walgreens.
In addition to vaccination, George recommended residents take precautions such as masking and frequent hand-washing to avoid respiratory virus infection.
“I know people are tired of it, but masking does help protect you against all respiratory viruses, including flu and RSV and the common cold, not just COVID,” George said.
Those who begin experiencing flu-like symptoms should stay home and in bed when possible, George said, and make sure to stay hydrated. If you get to the point where you are having difficulty breathing or are so sick you are unable to take care of yourself, it’s time to seek care.
People are usually contagious with the flu 24 hours before they get sick and around three days after symptoms begin, George said. While the virus often spreads before people know they are sick, once you start experiencing symptoms, health professionals recommend staying home when possible.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Dec. 30 Illinois was experiencing “moderate” influenza spread, while Missouri’s transmission was “high.” A Jan. 6 update said “seasonal influenza activity remains high but continues to decline in most areas” across the U.S.
The national influenza test positivity rate was 15% for the week ending Dec. 31, the CDC reported, with 18,954 flu hospitalizations and 13 pediatric deaths across the U.S. in the same time period.
More respiratory viruses
While vaccines are widely available in the U.S. to protect against COVID-19 and the flu, there are currently no treatments or vaccines for respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV. That may change soon, though.
“I am optimistic that we will get an RSV vaccine, maybe even several of them, in the next year or two,” George said.
Saint Louis University has done two different clinical trials for an RSV vaccine in the past year, George continued. One was another MRNA vaccine, and the other was a vector vaccine. Full data from these trials are not yet available, but George is hopeful they will be found effective and approved.
RSV caused a local “health system crisis” in October. George said this peak is now declining, though the virus continues to circulate.
Unlike RSV cases, COVID-19 transmission has increased recently in the metro-east and beyond, with the CDC rating 73 Illinois counties at elevated community levels in the Jan. 5 update.
A new COVID-19 variant, XBB.1.5, has become the dominant strain in the U.S. as of early January and has been dubbed the “most transmissible” omicron subvariant yet by the World Health Organization.
This story was originally published January 11, 2023 at 9:18 AM.
