The COVID-19 pandemic has affected people in all parts of the country, including the Midwest. There are still many questions about this disease and how it affects people who live in rural areas. The Marshfield Clinic Prospective Assessment of COVID-19 in a Community (PACC) Study is a large research study that will enroll up to 1,500 people of all ages who live in the Marshfield area. The goals are to understand how many people will get infected, how people get infected, and what type of illness people will have in different age groups. Researchers will test nose samples for the virus and blood samples to learn about the immune response to the virus. The study results will help develop more effective ways to prevent and manage COVID-19 in rural communities.
This study is being led by Huong McLean, Ph.D., M.P.H., and Edward Belongia, M.D., at the Marshfield Clinic Research Institute and funded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).