START SECOND STUDY VISITS COVID-19 SUB STUDY, ADDITIONAL BLOOD DRAW AFTER VACCINATION AND TEMPORARY INTERRUPTION OF AGEHIV STUDY VISITS
As of 1 March 2021 the second study visit of the COVID-19 sub study will start. Participants of this sub study will receive information about this second visit in advance by mail of post. During the study visit our staff will wear facemasks and the 1.5-meter distance will be maintained as much as possible. If you have not participated in the first sub study visit, but you would want to participate: please do contact us at agehiv@amc.uva.nl. We will give you more information and schedule an appointment with you.
In line with the COVID-19 vaccine roll-out in the Netherlands, we expect you may in the near future receive an invitation to be vaccinated against COVID-19. This provides our study with an important opportunity to compare the efficacy and safety of vaccination between individuals with or without HIV. Therefore, the COVID-19 sub study will be extended with one additional blood draw 4 to 12 weeks once an individual has completed vaccination. In February 2021, you will receive more detailed information and explanation of the importance of this new part of the COVID-19 study by mail or post. The single additional blood draw is voluntary and does not influence your participation in the other parts of the study. Where possible, we will try to combine this additional blood draw with already scheduled blood draws. Important in this new study part is that you contact us as soon as you know the dates when you will be vaccinated or have been vaccinated. You will find further instructions in the additional participants’ information you will soon receive.
Furthermore, as of December 2020 the general AGEhIV study visits to the Amsterdam UMC, location AMC, and GGD Amsterdam have been temporarily interrupted due to the stricter measurements of the government. The COVID-19 sub study is allowed to continue, because of the importance given to all studies concerning COVID-19, together with the study visits being kept short and the fact that they allow keeping 1.5-meter distance.
If you have questions following this information, contact us via:
For AMC participants: agehiv@amc.uva.nl or pager number 58113 via 020-5669111
For GGD participants: agehiv@ggd.amsterdam.nl or 020-5555628
