Study Information

PREVENT (Preparedness through Respiratory Virus Epidemiology and Community Engagement) is a large-scale research initiative designed to understand how respiratory viruses spread and impact communities. Funded by the CDC as part of the Community and Household Acute Respiratory Illness Monitoring (CHARM) Network, PREVENT tracks infections in real time, evaluates immune responses, and assesses the social and economic consequences of respiratory illnesses.

Our study focuses on individuals and households in San Diego County, collecting data on symptoms, infections, and immunity over multiple years. By combining weekly health monitoring, diagnostic testing, and advanced genomic sequencing, we aim to generate high-quality evidence that informs public health decisions, improves pandemic preparedness, and supports the development of better prevention and treatment strategies.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us or read our FAQ. To learn more about the scientists behind PREVENT, check out our profiles here.

PREVENT operates across four key research areas:

Community-Based Surveillance

• We will follow 2,000 participants over time, tracking symptoms, testing for respiratory pathogens, and linking data to health records and vaccination history.
• Participants complete brief weekly symptom surveys and provide nasal swabs when symptomatic, allowing us to detect respiratory infections early and study disease progression.

Household Transmission Studies

• When a participant tests positive for a respiratory virus, we enroll their household members to study how infections spread within homes.
• By testing household members daily for up to two weeks, we gather critical data on viral transmission dynamics, immune response, and risk factors.

Immune Response and Long-Term Health Effects

• We analyze blood samples from a subset of participants to assess immune protection against respiratory viruses, including after vaccination or infection.
• This helps us understand how immunity develops, wanes, and influences reinfection risks.

Data Science and Public Health Integration

• As the Data and Analytics Hub for the entire CHARM Network, we integrate findings across multiple study sites, develop real-time dashboards, and support CDC-led pandemic response efforts.

Respiratory infections—from the flu to emerging viruses—affect millions every year, yet we still have gaps in our understanding of who gets sick, why, and how best to prevent it. By participating in PREVENT, you contribute directly to research that:

• Helps develop better vaccines, treatments, and prevention strategies for respiratory illnesses.
• Provides early detection of infections through free testing and ongoing health monitoring.
• Improves our understanding of household transmission, leading to better guidance for protecting loved ones.
• Shapes public health policies that can reduce the impact of future outbreaks.

Participation is voluntary, confidential, and designed to fit into your daily life with minimal effort. Whether you experience symptoms or stay healthy, your involvement is crucial to advancing scientific knowledge and improving community health.

Participating in PREVENT is designed to be simple, flexible, and impactful. Whether you’re contributing symptom data, providing a sample, or taking part in household studies, your involvement helps shape public health responses to respiratory viruses. Here’s how it works:

1. Enrollment: Getting Started

• You will complete a short online or in-person enrollment form to provide basic health and demographic information.
• A member of our research team will explain the study, answer any questions, and guide you through the process.
• Once enrolled, you’ll receive materials for weekly check-ins and testing, if needed.

2. Weekly Health Check-Ins

• Every week, you’ll receive a short survey via text or email, asking about any respiratory symptoms, recent illnesses, or healthcare visits.
• Even if you don’t have symptoms, your responses are important for understanding virus spread and immunity.
• The check-in takes less than 2 minutes to complete.

3. Respiratory Testing & Sample Collection

• If you develop symptoms, we may ask you to provide a nasal swab at home or at one of our partner locations.
• The test will check for multiple respiratory viruses, including flu, RSV, and SARS-CoV-2.
• In some cases, we may ask for a small blood sample to assess immunity levels before and after infections or vaccinations.

4. Household Transmission Studies (For Eligible Participants)

• If you test positive for a respiratory virus, we may invite your household members to participate in a short-term study.
• They would self-collect daily nasal swabs for up to two weeks to help us understand how infections spread within households.

5. Follow-Up & Study Benefits

• Throughout the study, you’ll receive updates about key findings and how your participation contributes to public health.
• Our team ensures that all data remains confidential and is used only for research purposes.
• You will have access to free respiratory testing and contribute to cutting-edge science that informs future pandemic preparedness.

Participation is completely voluntary, and you can withdraw at any time. Each step is designed to be convenient and minimally disruptive to your daily routine while maximizing the impact of your contribution to public health research.