Why WNY man decided to be part of COVID-19 vaccine study in Rochester

Health experts say a vaccine to help develop immunity to COVID-19 will be key to helping us rebound from this pandemic.

One Western New York man is doing his part when it comes to developing a vaccine that works.

THE RACE IS ONAROUND THE WORLD--TRYING TO DEVELOPAN APPROVED COVID-19 VACCINE.INCLUDING SOMESCIENTISTS RIGHTHERE IN WESTERNNEW YORK.THE PROBLEMTHOUGH --IS THAT ONLY ABOUTHALF OF AMERICANSSAY THEY WOULDACTUALLY GET THEVACCINE.THAT'S FROM THEASSOCIATED PRESS.THE REASON --IS UNCERTAINTY.MANY WORRY HOWSAFE IT WILL BE --SINCE IT WAS PUT ONA THE FAST TRACK.BUT THE NATIONALINSTITUTE OF HEALTHWANTS TO ASSUREPEOPLE --THEY ARE NOTCUTTING CORNERS.HEALTH EXPERTS SAYTHIS VACCINE --AND DEVELOPINGIMMUNITY TO THEDISEASE --IS THE KEY TOMOVING FORWARD.ROCHESTERGENERAL HOSPITAL ISONE OF FOUR SITES INTHE COUNTRYTESTING ONEPOTENTIAL VACCINE.I SPOKE WITH APITTSFORD MAN WHOIS TAKING PART IN THESTUDY -- AND TELLSUS WHY HE'S DOING IT.FROM WORKING ATROCHESTER'S CITYHALL FOR 23 YEARS,TO BEING ORDAINED AMARRIED PRIEST, TOHOLDING THE TITLE OFPRESIDENT OF THEROCHESTERCHAMBERORCHESTRA -RAY GROSSWIRTH HASQUITE THE RESUME.NOW, HE'S ADDINGANOTHER UNIQUEEXPERIENCE.THE 70-YEAR-OLDFROMHAS VOLUNTEEREDTO TAKE PART IN ACOVID-19 VACCINESTUDY.BEING IN GOOD HEALTHI FEEL IT'S THE LEAST ICAN DO TO HELPOTHERS WHO MIGHTNOT BE SO LUCKY IFTHEY WERE TOCONTRACT THECORONAVIRUS.RAY IS PART OF ARESEARCH STUDYINVOLVING TWOCOMPANIES - PFIZERAND BIONTECH.THEY'RE WORKINGTOGETHER TODEVELOP A VACCINEFOR COVID-19.90 PEOPLE WILL BEPART OF THE CLINICALTRIAL AT ROCHESTERGENERAL HOSPITAL.IT'S NOT A LIVE VIRUS,OBVIOUSLY.

IT WILL BEA VACCINE THAT OVERTIME WILL HOPEFULLYPRODUCE ANTIBODIES.AND PRODUCING THEANTIBODIES WOULDHOPEFULLY PROTECTAGAINST FUTUREINFECTION.RAY SAYS HE'S BEENLUCKY THAT NO ONEIN HIS LIFE HAS BEENDIRECTLY AFFECTEDBY COVID-19.BUT HE HAS AN IDEAOF WHAT FAMILIES OFSICK LOVED ONES AREGOING THROUGH.TWO YEARS AGO HISWIFE OF 25 YEARSCAME DOWN WITHPNEUMONIA, AND GOTSO SICK - SHE ENDEDUP ON A VENTILATOR.SHE HAD MULTIPLEORGAN FAILURES, ANDWAS IN CRITICALCONDITION FORSEVERAL WEEKS.SHE WAS ON AVENTILATOR IN ANINTENSIVE CARE UNITFOR ABOUT SIX WEEKS.FORTUNATELY, SHEWAS EVENTUALLYABLE TO RECOVERAND IS DOING WELLTODAY.BUT RAY SAYS HE'LLNEVER FORGETEVERYTHING THEYWENT THROUGH.IT WAS A HORRIBILEEXPERIENCE, BUT ATLEAST I WAS ABLE TOVISIT HER EVERY DAY.UNFORTUNATELY FOR ALOT OF PEOPLE WITHFAMILY MEMBERSEXPERIENCINGTERMINALCOMPLICATIONS INHOSPITALS - THEY'RENOT ALLOWED TO VISITTHEM.THAT'S PART OF THEREASON WHY HEDECIDED TO BE PARTOF THIS TRIAL.HE'LL BE TESTED FORANTIBODIES SOON.IF HE DOESN'T HAVETHEM, HE'LL MOVE ONTO THE FIRST STAGEOF THE TEST, AND BEGIVEN EITHER THEVACCINE OR APLACEBO.IF I CAN DO ANYTHINGAT ALL TO LEADTOWARD A BETTERFUTURE WITH THISVIRUS, I CERTAINLYWANT TO DO THATAGRAY TELLS ME IF HE'SSELECTED TO MOVEFORWARD IN THE TRIAL-HE'LL HAVE 11FOLLOW-UP VISITS.THE IDEA IS TO SEE IFAND WHEN GEDEVELOPS ANTIBODIESTO COVID-19...AND HOW LONG THEYSTAY IN HIS SYSTEM.KATIERAY TELLS ME IF HE'SSELECTED TO MOVEFORWARD IN THETRIAL -HE'LL HAVE 11THE IDEA IS TO SEE IFAND WHEN HEDEVELOPSANTIBODIES