Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine Volunteer Shares Experience During Clinical Trial
BOSTON (CBS) - A Moderna COVID-19 vaccine volunteer is sharing their experience after getting two shots of the experimental drug.
"When I went home, as I was trying to go to bed that night, I started to experience very serious muscle aches. I was shivering and my teeth were shattering. I had low grade fever," said Eri Solomon.
The vaccine volunteer self-reported symptoms and was instructed to monitor the side effects. Two days later, Solomon would feel better. Now, they hope sharing the experience can encourage others to get vaccinated. And trust the science.
"I think it's important to be honest about those side effects. They were not a walk in the park. If they happened in the middle of the workday I wouldn't be able to continue working," Solomon said. "The side effects were uncomfortable, and painful, but they weren't dangerous. Participating in the vaccine trial was a way that I can give back and be involved, in a small way. As someone who doesn't have a lot of deep trust in the federal government, at this moment, I do trust the medical and scientific community that facilitated these trials."
Solomon got the shot at Brigham. The hospital network is one of 100 clinical research sites in the United States testing the vaccine for Moderna's clinical trial. An interim review from the National Institutes of Health found Moderna's vaccine to be safe and effective. Pfizer is reporting similar findings and could get FDA emergency use approval Thursday.
During an interview with CBS' Norah O'Donnell, infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci said the process is independent and transparent.
"It's very transparent because the data upon which they base that decision will ultimately become totally public in a peer reviewed journal," said Dr. Fauci. "When I see the FDA with their career scientists say that a vaccine is safe and effective, A- I will take it myself when my time comes, and I will recommend it to all people."