COVID-19

Q: How should sites conduct the 90-day follow-up appointments? A: Until further notice, please conduct the 90-day follow-up appointments via telephone follow-up.  This is the safest option for both research staff and participants. For these appointments please remember to complete all assessments as per the face-to-face 90-day follow-up appointment. For the MoCA, please use the telephone version, which has the visuospatial components removed.

Q. Can we recruit patients who are awaiting COVID-19 testing? It may take a while for these results to come back from the labs. A: Although COVID-19 is not an exclusion criteria, if the patient is awaiting testing, the risks and benefits of taking part should be carefully considered with guidance from the local PI. For example, if there is a high level of anxiety, or a poor prognosis from respiratory complications, then these factors might preclude participation.

Q. Can we recruit patients who have not had screened for COVID-19? A: COVID-19 screening is not needed to allow participation in OPTIMAS.