SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. — San Diegans are being asked to participate in a Phase 3 trial that's taking place at UC San Diego to test the effectiveness of a COVID-19 vaccine. So what can you expect if you volunteer? News 8's Steve Price spoke with a man in Seattle who already has the vaccine in his system.
“The pain I had the next morning was less than I've had for a flu shot and vaccinations in the past,” said Neal Browning.
He got his first dose of the Moderna vaccine back in March, followed by a second dose 28 days later.
“There is no live or weakened or dead virus in this vaccine so you can't contract COVID from it first and foremost - which is an important aspect," Browning said.
Besides a little arm soreness, he didn't have any side effects. Others in his trial who received bigger doses of the vaccine did experience fatigue and sore muscles, but nothing alarming to doctors.
“So far there's no evidence that there are any serious safety concerns with this vaccine,” said Dr. John Dunn, a researcher running the Phase 1 trial that Browning is participating in.
Researchers gave the vaccine, in varying amounts, to 45 volunteers. All of them developed antibodies. Lessons learned in that trial led researchers to discover what they say is the perfect dosage amount and it confirmed the vaccine is safe for humans.
The UC San Diego study is the start of Phase 3 testing.
“By the time you reach Phase 3, it's pretty much ready for primetime,” Browning said. “It's locked in as far as what's the safe dosage, how will people react to it. You've had literally, by this time, hundreds of other people exposed to the vaccine.”
Participants in the UC San Diego trial will be asked about their medical history, will be required to track their health after injections, and will be asked to come in for follow-up visits that could include blood draws. It's definitely a commitment, but Browning said he'd gladly do it again.
“It's about the future and if you can lessen the amount of pain, suffering, and possible deaths, step up to the plate and we all do our part for mankind no matter how large or small it is," he said.
UC San Diego just started taking applications for its trial this week with full enrollment expected within two months.