A: The PHAB Lab research clinic oversees all aspects of participant engagement, such as performing clinical visits, biological sample collection, air monitor deployment and retrieval, and Cepheid testing. The clinic provides support for ongoing studies, ensuring accurate data collection, participant safety, and high-quality research outcomes. 

A: We are open between the hours of 9am - 6pm. 

A: The PHAB Lab clinic is located in room 0110A on the ground floor of the School of Public Health building. Closest to the doors leading to Eppley. When you see the table with a white microwave, enter into the hallway adjacent to it, we’re the first office in the annex. 

A: No, the research clinic may run testing for covid-19 and flu, but we do not provide medical care. If you need diagnosis and treatment for a medical condition, please seek care from the University Health Center or your own primary care providers.

A: Once you and your roommate(s) complete the online consent form and the baseline questionnaire, you will be sent a link to self schedule a joint baseline clinic visit. This means you and your roommate(s) will come together for the baseline clinic visit. Baseline clinic visits will take place from around September to October. 

A: Yes. If you and your roommate(s) cannot find an agreeable time to come in together, please contact the PHAB Lab clinic via email (GotFluToo@umd.edu) or call (301-405-3142) for assistance. 

A: Make sure you are hydrated before coming in for your visit, but do not eat, drink, smoke/vape 15 minutes before your visit. For tax purposes, we need to collect your Social Security Number (SSN) and permanent address. We will also collect your UID if you choose to be compensated through TerrapinExpress. Therefore, please remember your SSN and UID or bring them with you.

A: Yes, you can change the day you are assigned to drop off your sample. Sample drop off days are Mondays and Thursdays or Tuesdays and Fridays. Please email us at GotFluToo@umd.edu detailing which days work best as a drop off day. 

A: Yes, you can have another participant drop off samples for you. Make sure your samples are labeled with your correct subject ID, initial and the date you used the swab before giving it to someone to drop off for you. 

A: On your samples write your subject ID, initial and the day that you collected the sample. If you write the incorrect subject ID, the compensation may be processed incorrectly. Please email us at GotFluToo@umd.edu if you would like to clarify your subject ID. 

A: Yes. You should collect the sample on the day you are assigned to drop off the sample. If you are unable to drop off the sample that day please still take the sample on the assigned day and submit the sample as soon as possible. 

A: If it has been less than 24 hours since your assigned drop off day, you may drop off the sample. If you miss our clinic hours (9am - 6pm), you can drop off your sample at one of our four drop boxes: SPH, University Honor Commons, UHC, and LeFrak. 

A: The drop boxes are located outside of SPH, University Honor Commons, UHC, and LeFrak. The drop boxes can be used 24/7. To view a map of the drop box locations click the link.

A: If you forgot to swab your nose on your assigned day, swab your nose as soon as you possibly can and no later than the next day of your assigned collection day. Please do not wait until your next assigned day.  Please drop off the sample the same day you swab your nose or the latest next day. For example, if you forgot to swab your nose on the assigned day, Monday, you can swab your nose on Tuesday and drop it off on Tuesday or Wednesday. 

A: Please submit your sample as soon as possible and no later than the next day of your assigned collection day. Please do not wait until your next assigned day to submit your sample. For example, if your assigned day is Monday and you swabbed your nose on Monday, the latest you can drop off your sample is Tuesday. Please make sure you have the date when you swab your nose on the sample bag, not the date when you drop off the sample.  

A: Yes if you forgot to label the sample and the sample bag before dropping it off please redo the sample. You can find extra sample kits on top of the drop off box. 

A: If you put the wrong subject ID on the sample the compensation may be processed under that subject ID rather than yours. Please remember to label the samples correctly. 

A: You should have received an email at the beginning of the semester, after signing the reconsent form, that included your subject ID. Alternatively, you can find your subject ID on the keychain we provided during the joint clinic visit. If you are still unable to locate your subject ID after trying both methods, please contact us at GotFluToo@umd.edu. 

A: If it has been longer than 24 hours since you collected the sample we can no longer accept the sample. 

A: The air monitors should be placed in areas away from vents, windows, doors, the floor, and crowded spaces. The best place for them is an elevated surface that is free of clutter. Don’t place it directly under or in front of a vent blowing into the room or on a window sill. It is OK to place it near an exhaust (return) for the heating or air conditioning system, if there is one. 

A: If you miss your scheduled day of deployment, please respond to our scheduling email or call us at (301) 405-3142. 

A: You will keep the air monitors for a week. Our study team will contact you to schedule an air monitor retrieval. 

A: No. You may come together, but only one roommate from each roommate group needs to be present for an air monitor deployment. 

A: Place the monitors back in the bags which they came in (HOBO monitor needs to be put in the plastic bag and then the black drawstring bag, PurpleAir monitor in the black drawstring bag). Do not press any buttons on the HOBO monitor when you return. Clinic staff will be in communication with you to coordinate the monitor return location.

A: An EBS visit is a special type of clinic visit that will be done together by our clinic staff and our bioaerosols team. These visits usually take place during the flu season if you develop symptoms that meet the criteria for the visit. 

If your symptoms qualify, our team will contact you to see if you’d like to schedule an EBS visit. The visit will include a symptom survey, temperature,  a blood sample, mid-turbinate swab sample (where we swab deeper into your nose), saliva sample, and an exhaled breath sample. It is completely optional, you can decide based on how sick you feel at the time. 

A: If you are chosen for an EBS visit, our team will reach out to you via email and/or phone call. If you agree to take part, we will schedule your visit the same day we contact you. 

A: The exhaled breath sample is collected from a machine called a Gesundheit-II (G-II for short). It will require you to sit in a booth for about 30 minutes in order to collect the sample. If you would like to learn more about the G-II and exhaled breath samples please visit here. 

A: The end of year clinic visit will only take place at the end of the semester. The end of year clinic visits consist of us taking your height, weight, temperature, nasal swab sample, and blood sample. 

A: Our end-of-year clinic visits will start towards the end of April and will continue until the end of the semester, including the days during finals. Before visits start, our study team will send you a self-scheduling link, just like we did for the joint baseline clinic visit. The difference is that you and your roommate(s) are encouraged to come together, but it’s not required. If none of the time slots work for you, or if the slots that work for you are already full, please contact us via email or call for assistance. 

A: As part of the study, we will need to collect a small amount of blood for each clinic visit, about 5 mL or 1 teaspoon. The sample will be drawn by trained research staff under the supervision of a registered nurse. You must be willing to let us try to collect your blood sample, up to 2 times, in order to complete the visit. If we are unable to collect your blood sample after 2 tries, it will not affect your compensation, meaning you will still receive the full amount for the visit. If you have any concerns, please reach out to us at GotFluToo@umd.edu. 

A: The visit will take approximately an hour and a half. During the exhaled breath sampling you will sit in a warm and humid tent. We recommend that you wear layered clothing that you can shed. Try not to eat or drink 15 minutes before the start of the visit. 

A: You can earn up to $130 per month. Check the details here.

A: Yes you can. Please email the GotFluToo@umd.edu to change the method of your compensation.

A: Allow up to two weeks for the compensation to be processed. If you have still not received compensation after the two weeks please email us at GotFluToo@umd.edu. 

A: Yes, you may withdraw at any time. Please email us at GotFluToo@umd.edu to notify us of your withdrawal. 

A: Maybe. If you have another roommate enrolled you can still participate. In order to be eligible for our study you must share a sleeping space with at least one participant of the study. If all of your roommates withdraw from the study you will no longer be eligible to participate.