The hospital in Enschede is one of the hospitals that is participating in a large study looking at whether an old vaccine (BCG) can help against a new virus (Covid-19). “The research focuses in particular on whether the old vaccine can help against respiratory infections and a corona infection”, explains Corine Delsing. She is an internist infectiologist at the MST.
Old vaccine
The BCG vaccine is administered worldwide to prevent tuberculosis. Delsing: “But we soon saw that children who received the vaccine were also less likely to develop a respiratory tract infection. Later we saw that sick elderly people who had been vaccinated with this were also less likely to develop a respiratory tract infection.”
We are looking for people with an increased risk of a respiratory infection
Together with 21 other hospitals, MST is investigating the effect of the BCG vaccine on corona. In order to be able to perform this research properly, MST needs many test persons. About three hundred in total. “We are looking for people who have an increased risk of a respiratory infection. The people who want to participate must be 60 years or older and suffer from a chronic disease.”
No health risks
According to Delsing, people who participate in the study hardly run the risk of becoming ill. “We are looking for people with a healthy immune system. The most important side effect they could get is a small red spot on the arm. There are actually no other side effects. We have known the BCG vaccine for seventy years and we have a lot of experience there. along.”
Report quickly
Delsing hopes that people who want to participate in the study will report as soon as possible. “We would like to vaccinate them with the BCG virus as soon as possible to see what the effects will be. We hope to complete the study within six months.”
If you would like to have more information about the research or participate in it, you can call the following telephone number: 06 50 07 04 36.
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