Confessions of a Vaccine Trial Participant
By Rev. Dawn M. Wayman, 2nd Episcopal District
At the earliest murmurs of developing a vaccine against the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, I knew I was willing to be a clinical trial volunteer. As an infectious disease epidemiologist, I was committed to doing my part to help our country collectively beat this pandemic. In late August, I contacted the George Washington University COVID-19 Vaccine Trial expressing my interest in participating in the trial. My expectations for receiving a response were low; nevertheless, I was willing. A few days later, I was officially invited to be a part of the trial. Within a week, I walked into an appointment to potentially get the COVID-19 vaccine injected into my arm.
Given the magnitude of this study, I only shared my participation with my immediate family beforehand. Despite their grave concerns, I prayed fervently, read and signed the consent form, completed a brief physical exam, and received my first injection.
Placebo or vaccine? I had no idea but my decision was made. There was no turning back.
Day zero. I felt great but the pain in my arm was intense by the evening and worse than I can recall after receiving other vaccines. I took a couple of Tylenol and thought, “If I’d received the placebo, I was amazed by how bothersome saline solution in the arm could be.”
Night zero. I had no fever, malaise, or flu-like symptoms. I did not lift my left arm or sleep on my left side because the pain was real. Fortunately, within a few days, there were no physical reminders of having received the injection.
I survived the first injection. Fast forward a few weeks. I arrived at the clinic early in the morning for my second appointment. After giving some blood samples (to check for antibodies), taking a COVID-19 test, and having another quick physical, I received my second injection.
Placebo or vaccine? I still had no idea but had committed. There was still no turning back.
Day zero. Within about 10 hours of receiving the injection, I felt a bit groggy. It was not awful but I was a little achy and a bit tired. I knew I needed to take some Tylenol and rest.
Night zero. This is the night I knew I had received the vaccine and not the placebo. The muscle aches, fever, and fatigue were real but the symptoms only lasted for a short time. After I managed to force myself out of bed to take more Tylenol in the wee hours of the morning, things got better. In fact, by noon, I was feeling well enough to go out for a hike.
I survived the second injection. Again, I was thankful.
I experienced 12-14 challenging hours after receiving the second dose of the vaccine; but, in the grander scheme, my life was not negatively impacted by my body doing what it was designed to do. I was having an immune response to a foreign pathogen that my body recognized because it had developed antibodies after receiving the first injection. This was great news for me. The vaccine worked which meant there was hope for the pandemic’s end in due time.
Before the manufacturer submitted its request for emergency use authorization, I said very little about my vaccine trial participation. This was partly because the research team asked me to limit my sharing but it also was because I needed to see how my body would react to the vaccine.
Over four months later, having made it to the place where severe adverse reactions are not anticipated, I can exhale and feel confident the risk was worth it. I feel great and a bit safer going out in public knowing there are antibodies inside me, poised to attack the virus should I come in contact with it. I believe my high risk, high reward decision was well worth it and I encourage you to think long and hard about taking the vaccine when it becomes available to you.
Post Script: I was informed by the study doctor that I received the vaccine on January 13, 2021. I received my vaccine doses in early September and early October.
