The GOOD-NIGHT COVID pilot study [COVID-19]
Research type
Research Study
Full title
GOOD Nasal Irrigation and Gargling to Halt Transmission of COvid-19 to care-home-based Vulnerable InDividuals
IRAS ID
282814
Contact name
Thomas Daniels
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Southampton
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 6 months, 30 days
Research summary
Novel corona virus (COVID-19) is a virus that is spreading quickly around the world. Elderly people with other health problems have a high death rate from the infection. There are no treatments for COVID-19 so prevention of infection is very important.\n\nCOVID-19 is thought to infect people via the nose and mouth. Current best practise to prevent infection focuses on good hand hygiene, the wearing of masks and by limiting social contact. However, elderly people in care homes have to come into contact with staff members who are looking after them.\n\nThere is some evidence that rinsing the nose and mouth with salt water may prevent the spread of viral infections including corona viruses. The rinsing procedure is very simple. Please see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSWi6Y4c_ac for a You Tube video of how saline can be administered (and many other videos are available too).\n\nWe want to understand whether the regular rinsing of the nose and mouth by staff working in care homes reduces infection in the elderly people they look after. We intend to achieve this by asking staff in some care homes to start rinsing during every shift. We will then compare rates of ill health and death with care homes where the staff that are not asked to do this.
REC name
Wales REC 5
REC reference
20/WA/0162
Date of REC Opinion
22 May 2020
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion