COVEP Study

The primary objective of the COVEP study is to assess the effectiveness & the determinants of effectiveness of China manufactured COVID-19 vaccines & other COVID-19 vaccines in the Ugandan adult population.

Secondary objectives:

1. To determine the overall and product-specific effectiveness of China manufactured and other COVID-19 vaccines against symptomatic COVID-19 disease among adults diagnosed with COVID-19 in Uganda

2. To estimate COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness for more severe outcomes (e.g., ICU admission, or in-hospital mortality) and its determinants among adults diagnosed with COVID-19 in Uganda;
3. To determine the overall and product-specific rate of breakthrough infections (laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2) among adult Ugandans vaccinated with China manufactured and other COVID-19 vaccines

This will be achieved using a test-negative case control study design. The cases are those diagnosed with COVID-19 while the controls are those that test negative for COVID-19. The study is being conducted at ten study sites where there is ongoing surveillance for SARI in Uganda. These are mainly regional referral hospitals and select district hospitals across the country. These are Arua, Hoima, Mbale, Moroto, Soroti, and Mbarara regional referral hospitals, Mulago National referral hospital, Kisoro hospital, Nakasero and Nsambya hospitals. 

We plan to enroll 6,468 patients presenting to the participating hospitals with severe acute respiratory illness (SARI) and patients seeking a COVID-19 test for due to COVID-19 symptoms. We have so far enrolled 3,676 patients into the study.