Question

Should I still join a COVID-19 vaccine study? Can I use NHS vaccines afterwards?

15 January 2021. Related: All topics, COVID-19.

Answer

Answer: Simon Collins

This is an important question because other vaccines are still being studied. 

These include a vaccine from Janssen currently in phase 3 studies that should finish in January, and other studies that will continue for longer.

UCL is researching a self-amplifying ribonucleic acid (saRNA) vaccine.

Other research groups are looking at COVID-19 monoclonal antibodies instead of a vaccine.

Joining one of these studies might let you get vaccine or antibody protection before you are offered a COVID-19 vaccines by the NHS.

Talk though what this will involve if you are interested in a study. Some studies might limit how you use vaccines in the future. (See below).

Can I have a COVID-19 vaccine if I was already in a vaccine study?

Whether or not you can still benefit from the NHS vaccine programme will depend on the research study. It will also depend on whether you were in the active or control (placebo) group.

If the study tells you that you already received two doses of one of the currently approved vaccines, then you don’t need any further protection. This means that somebody else who still needs protection can use your NHS vaccine.

If you were in the control (placebo) group, then you can use the NHS vaccine. You might also have the chance to get the active vaccine used in the study.

If you only received one vaccine dose so far, then the study team can tell you now whether or not you got the active or placebo injection. You can then decide if you want the NHS vaccine now.

You might even produce important data from getting both types of vaccine. In practice, new studies will hopefully look at switching between different vaccines.

If the study was using monoclonal antibodies to COVID-19, and you received the active treatment, current advice is to wait at least 90 days before having a vaccine.

This early guidance is currently being reviewed so it is an important situation to discuss with your doctor.

This is one of more than 50 questions about COVID vaccines. It was produced by and for people living with HIV.
Q&A on COVID vaccines: are they safe and effective?
https://i-base.info/qa/16330

This answer was updated on 15 January 2021 from a question first posted on 22 December 2020.