HENRICO COUNTY, Va. — As students return to classrooms, researchers at Clinical Research Partners on Forest Avenue are looking for children and adults to take part in two flu studies.

Dr. Richard Bennett, the study’s principal investigator, said the goal was to provide protection before children were exposed to more people at school.

“We would encourage everyone to have the traditional flu shot. Period. It saves lives,” Bennett said.

One study is for people 12 and older who were at higher risk for flu complications or had weakened immune systems. Participants could still receive their regular seasonal flu vaccine, and that study lasted about six months.

The second study seeks healthy children and teens ages 9 to 17 who are not at higher risk for flu complications. That study lasted about a year.

Bennett said researchers were studying both a traditional flu vaccine and a preventative treatment given by injection, which he compared to an extra “seatbelt” against the flu.

“I look at it like this: the study we're working on is like putting on a seatbelt. You may or may not get into an accident, but you always put on a seatbelt, and this is a way to allow children to have a seatbelt,” Bennett said.

The studies came as the Virginia Department of Health reaffirmed its support for vaccines and said a recent presidential executive order did not change Virginia’s vaccine recommendations or school immunization requirements.

VDH said it continued to recommend childhood vaccinations in accordance with the American Academy of Pediatrics’ 2026 immunization schedule.

VDH was also preparing to convene a new workgroup later in August to review Virginia’s laws and regulations related to access to childhood and emergency vaccines.

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