Repeated Employee Testing for Understanding Our Recovery to Normal (RETURN)

July 16, 2025 updated by: Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati
The purpose of this research study is 1) to conduct a prospective longitudinal surveillance research trial, enrolling up to 200 CCHMC employees as they come back to work, and then following their clinical and laboratory parameters for up to 12 months; and 2) to support the ongoing development of diagnostic techniques for COVID-19. The overall goal is to investigate patterns of SARS-COV-2 infection, including immunological recovery and genetic risk factors, among CCHMC employees to better understand how to safely reintroduce the CCHMC work force back into their normal routines.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

As the global and pandemic spread of the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19) continues, many knowledge gaps remain with regard to the epidemiology and transmission of infection, as well as the normal immunological responses after viral exposure. Cincinnati only recently (March 14, 2020) had its first confirmed case of COVID-19, and through shelter-in-place and social distancing efforts, has avoided the community spread experienced by some other large metropolitan areas. As investigators contemplate the gradual reintroduction of the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC) workforce back into the hospital, it is imperative that investigators determine the current prevalence of infection among CCHMC employees, measure the cumulative incidence of infection over the next 12 months, investigate the normal antibody patterns after infection, and help elucidate what constitutes a protective immunological response. Investigators have a unique but time-limited opportunity to optimally track the epidemiology and natural history of SARS-CoV-2 infection at CCHMC, including risk factors for transmission and immunological recovery. RETURN will investigate epidemiological and immunological features of SARS-CoV-2 virus infection in a limited cohort of CCHMC employees, as they return from the current shelter-at-home directive toward a normal work environment. By collecting and analyzing weekly serial samples for SARS-CoV-2 (nasal swab for virus by PCR) and monthly serological exposure (serum antibodies by ELISA), investigators will determine the prevalence and cumulative incidence of exposure to SARS-CoV-2; document the antibody responses over time; identify cases of apparent viral recrudescence or re-infection; and create models of transmission risk among CCHMC employees.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Observational

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
236

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Ohio
      • Cincinnati, Ohio, United States, 45229
        • Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Adult men and women who are employed full time at Cincinnati Children's Hospital.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Current full-time employees at Cincinnati Children's Hospital
  • Age: >18.0 years of age, at the time of enrollment
  • Cell phone that can be used for text messaging or web-based viewing of surveys
  • Willing and able to provide informed consent
  • Ability to comply with all study related evaluations and follow-up

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Previous proven SARS-CoV-2 infection (positive PCR-based molecular test)
  • Any condition or illness that makes study participation ill-advised
  • Currently or planning to enroll in a COVID-19 vaccine or prophylaxis study

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Observational Models: Case-Control
  • Time Perspectives: Prospective

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort

Group / Cohort

A group or subgroup of participants in an observational study that is assessed for biomedical or health outcomes.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Full-Time CCHMC Employees
Diagnostic test: SARS-CoV-2
  1. Testing weekly samples from nasal swabs to promptly diagnose acute COVID-19 infection.
  2. Testing monthly serum samples to document post-viral infection.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
The 6-month cumulative incidence of acquired COVID infection in the study cohort.
Time Frame: Weekly for 6 months
Acquired COVID is defined as testing negative for COVID at baseline and having 1 or more weekly nasal swab samples testing positive for the virus by PCR
Weekly for 6 months

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Russell Ware, MD, PhD, Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati
  • Principal Investigator: Mary Allen Staat, MD, MPH, Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
May 11, 2020

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
December 31, 2022

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
December 31, 2023

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
June 3, 2020

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
July 14, 2020

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
July 15, 2020

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
July 17, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
July 16, 2025

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
July 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • RETURN

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

Cookie Settings

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. For more details carefully read our Privacy and Cookies Policy. ...>>>You can change your preferences or withdraw your consent at any time by deleting the cookies from your website or computer as described in the policy. Please accept it and choose your preferences by ticking the corresponding boxes in the "Manage Settings" section below. Please carefully read our Terms of Service before you proceed with using any part of this website.
«Manage Settings