Charity Volunteers At Forefront of Covid-19 Trial

Glasgow Children's Hospital Charity is proud to have supported Covid-19 Research Trial

We are privileged to have supported the Rapid-19 trial - crucial research investigating the impact of Covid-19 on the children of healthcare workers.

More than 220 'Covid Warriors' from across the West of Scotland attended the children's hospital to take part in the first stage of the trial, including Mason and Finley Brown, whose mum Clare was one of the Research Nurses facilitating the study.

“The boys were excited to help their heroes in the NHS save lives. All of the children who took part are superheroes too.”

Clare, research nurse

The young volunteers, who are children of healthcare workers and aged between 2-16 years old, are helping the important ‘RAPID-19’ research study investigate potential immunity to Covid-19.

The study, which is being carried out by the Glasgow Clinical Research Facility aims to find out whether they have developed immunity to the virus from potential exposure from their healthcare worker parents.

This is one of the few studies looking at children’s immunity to coronavirus and is supported by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, and Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity.

Dr Steve Foster, Consultant in Paediatric Emergency Medicine and Principal Investigator of the RAPID-19 clinical trial, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said:

“With children going back to school, this research is more important than ever. We are trying to find out if children of healthcare workers have developed positive antibodies to coronavirus.

“We’ve been overwhelmed by the generosity from children, young people and their families. We’ve had phenomenal support from the Clinical Research Facility and Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity.”

Volunteers from Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity gave their time to help look after the children and families involved during the study weekends. Children and young people each received a charity-funded “COVID Warrior” Certificate and age-appropriate activity packs to celebrate their involvement in the important trial.

Kirsten Sinclair, Chief Operating Officer at Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity said: “We are privileged to have supported the RAPID-19 Trial as part of our ongoing COVID-19 relief efforts across the West of Scotland. The trial ran successfully with the support of our volunteers, and we would like to say a huge thank you to them for their commitment during these difficult times.”

We'd like to thank all of our brilliant volunteers who helped with this crucial project, and for giving their time so generously to help. Thank you!