Understanding how vaccines work in real life against flu and COVID-19
Official title: RFA-IP-22-004, Multidisciplinary Approach to Understanding Vaccine Efficacy and Transmission of Viral Respiratory Tract Infections in the Real World
Funded at Washington University · NIH-11381364 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A real-world study at a major university hospital will track how well flu and COVID-19 vaccines protect ambulatory patients who have respiratory infections.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Washington University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Saint Louis, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2022 |
| Project end | September 29, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,550,000 |
| NIH project number | 5U01IP001182-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11381364 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ambulatory patients with acute respiratory illnesses who can participate in recruitment and sample collection.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not have respiratory infections or cannot participate in sample collection may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project uses real-world data from outpatient visits to measure how well influenza and SARS-CoV-2 vaccines perform when people develop respiratory illnesses. The team combines emergency medicine, pediatrics, epidemiology, informatics, and lab science to recruit patients, collect samples, and analyze vaccine effects using a test-negative design. Participants will provide respiratory and blood samples, and data will be pulled from electronic medical records to assess outcomes. The research plan focuses on rapid recruitment aligned with viral circulation and thorough quality checks to ensure reliable results.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the study could clarify how well current vaccines protect people in everyday settings and inform public health vaccination strategies.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies using test-negative designs have shown valuable insights into vaccine effectiveness in real-world settings.
Where this research is happening
-
Washington University
Saint Louis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: House, Stacey — Washington University
- Study coordinator: House, Stacey
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Understanding how well vaccines work against respiratory viruses in real-world settings
This study is looking at how well flu and COVID-19 vaccines work for people with respiratory infections, and it’s for anyone who wants to understand more about vaccine protection in real-life situations.
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.