FAQs

Study FAQs

How long does the study last?

The study is for 18 months. Participants will complete a baseline questionnaire and then be sent a short daily diary for the next 13 days. After that, participants will be sent a short questionnaire at months 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 12 and 18.

Where is my Amazon Gift Card?

Amazon gift cards are sent to the email address that you provided on the consent form within about 48 hours after completing a survey. Participants must verify their identity over the phone after completing the baseline survey prior to receiving gift cards. The gift cards are sent from Amazon and often end up in your Spam folder. Please check there and if you don’t see it, email the study staff.

What if I don’t want an Amazon Gift Card?

Thank you so much for volunteering! Some participants have reached out to let us know that they are doing the study as a volunteer and do not want the gift cards. The study is required to purchase gift cards and send them to eligible participants. You are welcome to donate your gift cards to a charity, school or a family/friend who may be able to use them. You earned it!

What are the sub-studies testing in the nasal swabs and blood samples?

Nasal swabs will be tested for COVID-19 including the amount of virus present and to identify which variant it is.
Blood samples are looking at levels antibody to the COVID-19 virus. People who join the Host Genetics sub-study will also have their DNA analyzed for potential mutations.
These tests are for research purposes and individual results will not be given to participants.

When will we learn about results from the study?

As more people join the VISION study, there will be more data to look at and analyze. We will share any results along with study enrollment updates on this website under the results tab.

COVID-19 FAQs

I tested positive for COVID-19, when can I go back to work?

You should follow return to work policies at your workplace. More information on returning to work and school after COVID-19 can be found on the CDC website.

I tested positive for COVID-19. I re-tested a few days later and I tested negative. I tested myself again and it was positive. Am I still infectious? Do I need to quarantine away from other family members?

A positive home test for COVID-19 almost always means you are infected with SARS-CoV-2. A repeat home test can be negative if the test was not done correctly or if the amount of virus in the nose has declined to a low level or the virus is gone. Some people recover from COVID-19 but then after a few days have a rebound in the virus and/or symptoms. This rebound is something we are studying in the VISION study. Whenever a home test is positive, you should assume you are infectious. PCR tests of deep nasal swabs done at a clinic or lab are very sensitive and may detect viral genetic material for weeks after infection. For this reason, they should not be used to gauge whether you are infectious. For more about COVID-19 tests can be found at the CDC website.

Can you get a false positive on a home test?

This is extremely rare and has been linked to faulty test kits rather than the test itself. The likelihood of a false negative is much higher than a false positive.