The COVID-19 pandemic required a rapid response to understand the best ways of treating vulnerable patients. This led to an urgent need for researchers who had the right expertise to help deliver the necessary practice-changing clinical trials.
SPCR’s funding helped to highlight Paul Little, professor of primary care research at the University of Southampton, as having a strong interest in the field and use his experience to help change the way we treat COVID-19.
With a background in respiratory disease, it was natural for Paul to take an interest in COVID-19. He was a co-applicant on an SPCR-funded project with Professor Nick Francis in Southampton and Professor Chris Butler in Oxford, exploring the impact of over-the-counter treatments and health behaviours on the prevention of COVID-19 and outcomes, such as hospitalisation.