Patient perspectives about participation in a chronic rhinosinusitis trial during the COVID pandemic: a qualitative study.

• Telephone interviews were conducted with 19 MACRO trial participants from 5 ENT sites across the UK. • Trial participants experienced mixed levels of communication during the COVID period and some felt uninformed about the trial status and their clinical situation. • Participants were most concerned about getting COVID through interactions with other patients in hospital settings. Conversely, there was a high level of trust in healthcare professionals. • Pre-visit COVID-safety information, minimising contact with other patients, and strict waiting room management can facilitate the restart of the MACRO trial from the patient perspective. • Patient confidence in trial participation is likely to continue improving with COVID vaccination roll out.