How flu, COVID-19, and other respiratory vaccines protect people in Washington from sudden respiratory illness
Official title: RFA-IP-22-004, Evaluating influenza, SARS-CoV-2, and other respiratory virus vaccine effectiveness in prevention of acute illness in Washington state 2022-2027
Funded at Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Washington · NIH-11170380 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project checks how well seasonal flu, COVID-19, and other respiratory vaccines prevent short-term respiratory illnesses in people living in Washington state.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Washington NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2022 |
| Project end | September 29, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $1,310,713 |
| NIH project number | 5U01IP001191-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11170380 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults and children in Washington state who seek care or testing for new respiratory symptoms at participating clinics or through telehealth.
✕Less likely to help
People without recent respiratory symptoms, those outside the study area, or those unwilling to provide samples are unlikely to benefit directly.
What this research studies
From 2022–2027, researchers will monitor people with new respiratory symptoms across Kaiser Permanente Washington and partner clinics to learn which viruses are causing illness and whether vaccinated people get sick less often. They will collect nasal swabs and test them for influenza, SARS-CoV-2, and other respiratory viruses, and compare illness rates by vaccination status and timing. The work includes outpatient visits and telehealth encounters to capture mild-to-moderate illness in the community. Results will be shared regularly to help guide vaccination practice and public health planning.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the project could show which vaccines and timing best reduce outpatient respiratory illness, helping improve vaccine recommendations.
How similar studies have gone: Similar US Flu VE Network efforts have previously provided useful real-world vaccine effectiveness data, although virus patterns and vaccines change each season.
Where this research is happening
-
Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Washington
Seattle, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wernli, Karen J — Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Washington
- Study coordinator: Wernli, Karen J
Related research
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.