MEMBER NEWS Alternating vaccine dose study begins


The world’s first study into alternating doses and intervals of approved Covid-19 vaccines is underway after participants received their jabs at a University of Nottingham health practice. Some 111 people visited Cripps


Health Centre in the last week of February to receive their initial vaccine doses as part of a research project supported by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). The aim of the trial is to


determine the effects of using a different vaccine for the second dose to the first dose, in addition to two different intervals between doses.


Dame Professor Jessica Corner


(pictured), pro-vice chancellor for research and knowledge exchange at the University of Nottingham, was one of the participants. She said: “I am so pleased to be


involved in a study which is asking crucial questions about the efficacy of combining different vaccines and the important question of the


timing of the booster injection. From a personal perspective, it is great to be able to contribute in a very small way to the efforts scientists and medics across the globe have been making towards vaccine development.


‘I am very proud to see such world-leading work being done from the University of Nottingham Health Service’


“In my professional role, I am


very proud to see such world- leading work being done from the University of Nottingham Health Service. This is just one of numerous studies that have already been carried out here, and it is a real team effort.” Classified as an “urgent public


health” study by the NIHR, it is being undertaken by the National Immunisation Schedule Evaluation


Should the study show


promising results, then the Government may consider reviewing the vaccine regimen approach if needed, but only if proven to be safe and recommended by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation. The study’s principle


Consortium and the Oxford Vaccine Group, and is backed by £7m of Government funding from the Vaccines Taskforce. The volunteers, aged 50 and


above, have been recruited to take part in the trial, referred to as the Covid-19 Heterologous Prime Boost study – or “Com-Cov”. It will gather immunological


evidence on different intervals between the first and second dose for a mixed-vaccine regimen against control groups when the same vaccine is used for both doses.


Bouquets boost mental health


Morrisons’ flower supplier Flowerworld has placed wellbeing at the forefront of its strategy by donating bouquets to each of its isolating employees during lockdown – and has created a new B2B offer for the wider business community.


‘I would encourage everyone to take a moment to remember how even small gestures can have a huge impact’


The family-run business - which has been established in Derby for more than 40 years and was bought by the supermarket chain in 2011 - reached out to staff feeling anxious, stressed and isolated during lockdown. Its community champions personally delivered bouquets to 67 isolating colleagues.


With one in four people affected by mental health


problems in their lifetime, Flowerworld administrator and community champion Tracey Mason (pictured) believes that staff wellbeing has never been higher on the agenda. “We found that many of our colleagues were feeling


stressed, worried and isolated,” said Tracey. “Even though they work with flowers every day, their reactions to receiving a bouquet of flowers was so positive - it showed them that they were not forgotten and made them feel valued.” This experience has inspired Tracey and the team at


Flowerworld to develop a new B2B product range of bouquets for businesses to boost the wellbeing of home-workers. She added: “Now more than ever, we need to look after our mental health and I would encourage everyone to take a moment to remember how even small gestures can have a huge impact for someone who is finding everyday life more difficult.”


investigator Professor David Turner, who alongside his academic role at the university is an honorary consultant in clinical microbiology at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “We are delighted to be taking this study forward. “Having been one of the


centres that has was involved in the development of the Oxford- AstraZeneca vaccine, it is now exciting to take development further and to see if by alternating both vaccines, their effectiveness is the same. “This could have huge


implications in terms of easing demand.”


business network April 2021


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