A new trial, called Prevent COVIDU, has been launched that will include thousands of college students and will help ascertain how well COVID-19 vaccines decrease the risk of transmitting the infection.

The open-label randomized trial will ascertain if vaccine prevents both infection and transmission of SARS-CoV-2 among college students, and will help inform decisions about mask wearing and social distancing after vaccination. The study will recruit 12,000 college students, 18 to 26 years of age, from over 20 universities. Overall, 6,000 students will be administered their first dose of Moderna vaccine immediately, while the others will serve as controls and will be given their vaccine 4 months later.

All the subjects will receive the usual two doses.Participants will swab their noses daily, provide periodic blood samples, and complete surveys. They will be tested twice a week.Anyone who tests positive will have to follow additional protocols. An additional 25,000 people, whom participants determine as close contacts, will also provide blood samples, take nose swabs every day for 2 weeks, and answer questionnaires (if they agree to participate). Investigators will then evaluate the degree of transmission from vaccinated individuals by the infection rate in the close contacts… (Medpage Today)