Pediatric Infectious Disease Research Group’s COVID-19 Research
Seattle Children’s Pediatric Infectious Disease Research Group, directed by Dr. Janet Englund, continues to study SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing the disease known as COVID-19.
- Read: Everything You Need to Know About Fall and Winter Vaccinations – Q&A With Seattle Children’s Pediatric Infectious Disease Research Group
- Watch: Talk to your children about what to expect when they get the vaccine
Most recently, Englund was a co-investigator for the CASCADIA study, which studied how well COVID-19 vaccines protect participants against infection in the community. The study was conducted by the University of Washington School of Medicine and Seattle Children’s Hospital in Seattle and the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research in Portland, Oregon, and was funded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
COVID-19 Research Studies and Vaccine Clinical Trials
Dr. Englund’s research team may be reached at IDResearch@seattlechildrens.org.
Pfizer COVID-19 Booster Study
The Pfizer COVID-19 Booster study will look at how the most recent vaccine booster aims to protect against the COVID-19 illness. Researchers at Seattle Children’s are conducting a COVID-19 vaccine research study for children up to 12 years of age who have never had a COVID-19 vaccine.
- To learn more about this study, view the study page or download the study flyer.
Picasso Study
The Picasso study will investigate new methods to protect kids from RSV. Researchers at Seattle Children’s are conducting an RSV vaccine research study for children between the ages of 2 and 17.
- To learn more about participating in the Picasso study, email the study team at IDResearch@seattlechildrens.org or call 206-884-1100.
- You can also view the study brochure.
Investigating the Virus That Causes COVID-19
Research lead by Dr. Englund and the team have contributed key research to better understand the virus that causes COVID-19 and its effect on the community:
- Children infected with SARS-CoV-2 can make antibodies that can neutralize the virus and are likely to have a protective effect against COVID-19.
- Home testing to detect respiratory viruses in early 2020 led to the first documented U.S. case of community transmission of SARS-CoV-2 at the time.
- Home-based surveillance using online participant enrollment and specimen self-collection is a safe and feasible method for community-level monitoring of influenza and other respiratory pathogens, which can readily be adapted for use during pandemics.
- What happened to influenza during the pandemic?
- Partnership with Seattle Public Schools supplement a report on school-based interventions to increase vaccination coverage amongst school-aged children.
- In a 2023 publication, Seattle Children's researchers found the COVID-19 vaccine to be safe and effective for young children In protecting against the virus.