Public invited to sign up to Help BEAT Coronavirus

Photo: Gov.uk

Coronavirus testing

A new NHS campaign, ‘Help BEAT Coronavirus’ has launched in Greater Manchester and East Cheshire encouraging people to take part in research to help the NHS in the fight against Covid-19.

The campaign has been developed following the incredible public response to vaccine research trials, where more than 30,000 people across the region have taken part in a range of nationally-prioritised Covid-19 studies supported by NIHR Clinical Research Network Greater Manchester.

‘Help BEAT Coronavirus’ is part of Research for the Future, an NIHR Greater Manchester initiative that helps people find out about and take part in health and care research. It joins their range of other successfully ‘Help BEAT’ campaigns supporting research in a number of priority areas.

Professor Andy Ustianowski, National Clinical Lead for the UK NIHR Covid vaccine research programme and joint National Specialty Lead for Infection at NIHR Clinical Research Network, said: “The success of the Covid-19 Vaccine in the UK is down to research and every person who volunteers. We now have treatments, as a result of trials, for Covid that are saving lives.

“Clinical research is vital to fight this pandemic. Everything that we do in medicine should be based on evidence and we get this evidence from clinical trials. By signing up you are helping to discover new ways to prevent, diagnose and manage Covid-19.”

Research helps to increase our understanding of how coronavirus is transmitted, how to treat people who become infected and discover how best to help and support people living with Long Covid.

Taking part in research means people are contributing to the NHS response to the global pandemic by helping the NHS to find new vaccines and treatments for Covid-19.

After registering with the service, people will receive detailed information about research taking place in their area, along with details of how to take part.

As well as taking part in vaccine and drug trials, there are plenty of other ways people can get involved in research, for example taking part in discussion groups to share their experiences of lockdown or completing surveys about healthcare during the pandemic.

The easiest way to register your interest is online at the Research for the Future website.