Based on the capacity of BCG to reduce the incidence of respiratory tract infections in children, to exert antiviral effects in experimental models; and to reduce viremia in an experimental human model of viral infection, the hypothesis is that BCG vaccination induces (partial) protection against susceptibility to and/or severity of Covid-19 infection. This Phase 3 study evaluates the efficacy of BCG to improve the clinical course of Covid-19 infection and to prevent absenteeism in order to safeguard continuous patient care.

This randomized controlled trial has been designed as a pragmatic study with a highly feasible primary endpoint, which is unplanned absenteeism, that can be continuously measured on a bi-weekly basis). This allows for the most rapid identification of a beneficial outcome that would allow other HCWs to also benefit from the intervention if and as soon as it has been demonstrated to be effective.