Covid vaccine trial - my experience

[cy90]

I posted this on CyReport but thought I'd share here too...

Some observations, some opinion, some details - and money...

I started the vaccine trial today (Moderna) in CoSprings. 25 month study and I get 2 shots (coin flip if placebo). I go back in a month for the 2nd shot. 7 set office visits and 24 phone call check-ins. I have an e-diary app to fill out daily (temp, general feelings, shot site reactions, etc..). And, unbeknownst to ME, I get $90 for each office visit and $27 for each phone call for compensation not to exceed $1,962 over course of the study... Nice little bonus there for saving the world.

I saw 5 medical professionals including the doctor leading the CoS study over the course of 2 hours. We did an extensive medical history and physical, took large amounts of blood, and did nasal swabs. For those complaining of the nasal swabs, I've had larger things in my nostrils and it was mildly uncomfortable at worst.

I thought today was just an interview but I did receive a shot. After the injection I was taken to the observation room for 30 minutes to see if I died, or developed spider-like reflexes. Neither happened but I did have a nice lunch at QDoba.

Prior to my appointment, friends were trying to talk me OUT of it (didn't realize I knew so many anti-vaxxers) but after receiving a text just this morning that my nephew and his family of 4 were all sick and tested positive for Covid, it sealed my participation. Then I came home to hear my wife's Mom in Florida is/has been sick with Covid. She's an at-risk person with asthma but sounds like she's on the mend. She's old generation so the concept of NOT visiting and hosting dinners is out of her capability.

Doctor's observations... When I mentioned my fam had tested positive, he said the testing is spotty at best (WAY too many false positives) and rife with fraud. He had first-hand accounts where he wrote testing orders, his patients went to the testing sites (he called it lines from hell) then patients got frustrated with the wait and left. The next day, (some) of those patients received calls from the testing facility that they tested positive and were ordered to quarantine for 14 days. Amazing since they never had the test done. He said there is financial incentive for reporting positive results. That on top of the spotty accuracy makes you question so many things.

His final comments after thanking me for participating, is "live your life".

Solid final parting thoughts - let's all live our lives to the best of our abilities. Live in fear, live invincibly, but LIVE your lives at this moment.

Oh - if I should die, please organize a "fun-run" or a telethon in memory of Patient #91 which is my trial identification going forward....

Thanks for doing it and taking us along for the ride.

 

[SpokaneCY]

Good luck to you and hopefully you don't need it. I imagine it will be pretty easy to know if you got the placebo pretty early on.

They did say side effects are more commonly seen after the 2nd shot as your body is building up whatever it builds up. Said can expect typical old-school flu vaccine response where you feel punky for a day or so after.

 

[yowza]

So polls show maybe 40% to 50% of people say they will even get a shot when vaccine available. Can we remove societal restrictions then and tell those they are on their own at that point?

 

[isutrevman]

So polls show maybe 40% to 50% of people say they will even get a shot when vaccine available. Can we remove societal restrictions then and tell those they are on their own at that point?

I think it's pretty widely accepted that if choose not to get any vaccine, then you are on your own, so yes.

 

[JM4CY]

He's old, gotta take viagra to just do that probably.

 

[flynnhicks03]

They did say side effects are more commonly seen after the 2nd shot as your body is building up whatever it builds up. Said can expect typical old-school flu vaccine response where you feel punky for a day or so after.

This is where it gets dicey. How will you know if what you're feeling is a reaction to the vaccine or COVID?

 

[CYme]

So polls show maybe 40% to 50% of people say they will even get a shot when vaccine available. Can we remove societal restrictions then and tell those they are on their own at that point?

We should do that with masks now. If you don't want to wear one, fine, but you aren't eligible for a vaccine when available or go to the end of the line.

 

[Cyclonefan710]

So polls show maybe 40% to 50% of people say they will even get a shot when vaccine available. Can we remove societal restrictions then and tell those they are on their own at that point?

I don't get a flue shot so why would I get a cov 19 shot? From my understanding a cov 19 vaccine isn't going to just wipe out the virus. With there being multiple strains, some years it may be effective and other years not so much

 

[SpokaneCY]

This is where it gets dicey. How will you know if what you're feeling is a reaction to the vaccine or COVID?

I think they take that subjectivity out by all the bloodwork... But I am to log my physical perceptions daily including temp and a 10-15 question list on injection site pain, any visible redness, fatigue, etc...

Had first shot yesterday and today I have a red spot and a very vague sensation - like getting hit with a flu shot but flinching.

As to a previous question about my "sex"tracurriculars, at my age a good stretch and a healthy BM are nearly as special as "release". But "release" is still pretty special.

 

[SpokaneCY]

"Funny" story... Just did my daily log for the trial and when I opened the digital thermometer, it contained a Certificate of Quality and Authenticity but every other "letter" on the certificate was what appears to be Chinese.

Oh and based on my temp I think I'm ovulating...

 

[Cyched]

"Funny" story... Just did my daily log for the trial and when I opened the digital thermometer, it contained a Certificate of Quality and Authenticity but every other "letter" on the certificate was what appears to be Chinese.

Oh and based on my temp I think I'm ovulating...

Congrats

 

[BCClone]

"Funny" story... Just did my daily log for the trial and when I opened the digital thermometer, it contained a Certificate of Quality and Authenticity but every other "letter" on the certificate was what appears to be Chinese.

Oh and based on my temp I think I'm ovulating...

You sure this is a ‘rona test? Did you read the fine print? Nipples getting tender?

 

[JM4CY]

"Funny" story... Just did my daily log for the trial and when I opened the digital thermometer, it contained a Certificate of Quality and Authenticity but every other "letter" on the certificate was what appears to be Chinese.

Oh and based on my temp I think I'm ovulating...

So.... uhm... where did you exactly “check” your temp?

 

[SpokaneCY]

You sure this is a ‘rona test? Did you read the fine print? Nipples getting tender?

Watching Hugh Grant marathon. I'll reply later...

 

[yowza]

We should do that with masks now. If you don't want to wear one, fine, but you aren't eligible for a vaccine when available or go to the end of the line.

I think there are two fears. One is people fearing this vaccine is being rushed and it will cause bad side effects and the second you have some % of people who are afraid of needles and doctors. And maybe a third group who just don't give an F and feel like they will handle it just fine when they get it and won't get a shot no matter what.

 

[mywayorcyway]

"Funny" story... Just did my daily log for the trial and when I opened the digital thermometer, it contained a Certificate of Quality and Authenticity but every other "letter" on the certificate was what appears to be Chinese.

Oh and based on my temp I think I'm ovulating...

We ordered new thermometers when COVID kicked off. Got them off Amazon, didn't look closely. They only show Celsius numbers so I had to print out a tiny conversion chart and stick it on there.

 

[SpokaneCY]

We ordered new thermometers when COVID kicked off. Got them off Amazon, didn't look closely. They only show Celsius numbers so I had to print out a tiny conversion chart and stick it on there.

We're such a global economy... Parts of the are good, parts are a little scary especially when we rely on adversaries for medicines, and critical raw materials...

I miss the olden days where if someone was bad, they were completely bad. Now we say China is a huge military threat (NO disagreement from me) but major corps still knocking each other down to get their money regardless of the societal issues over there (concentrations camps for Uighurs for instance). But LeBron, Amazon, FB, etc.. need mo' money...

 

[ArgentCy]

We're such a global economy... Parts of the are good, parts are a little scary especially when we rely on adversaries for medicines, and critical raw materials...

I miss the olden days where if someone was bad, they were completely bad. Now we say China is a huge military threat (NO disagreement from me) but major corps still knocking each other down to get their money regardless of the societal issues over there (concentrations camps for Uighurs for instance). But LeBron, Amazon, FB, etc.. need mo' money...

I'm all for the metric system. Except when it comes to temperatures. The Fahrenheit scale just works better than Celsius. Yes it's easier to remember the freezing point and boiling point but that compresses the scale too much.

 

[ArgentCy]

They did say side effects are more commonly seen after the 2nd shot as your body is building up whatever it builds up. Said can expect typical old-school flu vaccine response where you feel punky for a day or so after.

The later part should be what makes it pretty easy to tell if you got the placebo. Of course that kinda screws up the whole double-blind study and opens it up to potential bias.

 

[SpokaneCY]

The later part should be what makes it pretty easy to tell if you got the placebo. Of course that kinda screws up the whole double-blind study and opens it up to potential bias.

I'm trying hard to feel if I'm vaccinated but honestly the blood work will be the true science. If I develop some sort of immune response it won't matter what i think or feel so long as the results of over 30,000 people's blood work validates - or eliminates - Moderna from a valid option.