The COVID-19 pandemic has affected people in all parts of the country, including the Midwest. There are still many questions about this disease and how it affects people who live in rural areas. The Marshfield Clinic Prospective Assessment of COVID-19 in a Community (PACC) Study is a large research study that will enroll up to 1,500 people of all ages who live in the Marshfield area. The goals are to understand how many people will get infected, how people get infected, and what type of illness people will have in different age groups. Researchers will test nose samples for the virus and blood samples to learn about the immune response to the virus. The study results will help develop more effective ways to prevent and manage COVID-19 in rural communities.
This study is being led by Huong McLean, Ph.D., M.P.H., and Edward Belongia, M.D., at the Marshfield Clinic Research Institute and funded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
What Will Happen in the Study?
If you join the study, you will:
- Answer a few questions every week for 52 weeks.
- On request, collect and mail in a sample from inside the front of your nose. Some volunteers will collect a nose sample only when they get sick. Others will collect a nose sample every week for 26 weeks in a row.
- Come to Marshfield Medical Center in Marshfield for at least 3 blood draws. If you get COVID-19, we may ask you for 2 more blood draws.
- Be paid for your time and effort on the study.
You will not receive any treatments or vaccines as part of this study. If a COVID-19 vaccine becomes available to the public during this study, we may request some additional samples or information from people who choose to get vaccinated.
Who Can Join the Study?
At this time, only people who receive an invitation can join the study. Children and adults who live in or around the Marshfield area will be selected randomly (by chance) to be part of this study.
This study is voluntary. You do not have to participate.
If you received an invitation and study code, please fill out the forms on this site to let us know you are interested and confirm that you are eligible. You can contact the study team by phone at 800-468-9700 or email if you have questions.
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