KGUN 9's Pat Parris shares COVID-19 vaccine trial experience

Pat Parris becomes one of the first participants in a COVID-19 vaccine trial.

"WE HOPE BY THE END OF THISYEAR, BY THE LATE FALL OREARLY WINTER, THAT WE WILLKNOW WHETHER THE VACCINE ISSAFE AND EFFECTIVE." DR.ANTHONY FAUCI LEADS THENATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH-- WHICH IS BACKING MODERN'SCOVID-19 VACCINE TRIALS -- NOWUNDERWAY ACROSS THE COUNTRY --AND RIGHT HERE IN TUCSON.

THISWEEK -- QUALITY OF LIFEMEDICAL AND RESEARCH CENTERBEGAN ITS PORTION OF THETRIAL.

HERE'S HOW IT WORKS.PARTICIPANTS -- LIKE MYSELF --START BY TAKING A COVID-19TEST -- TO MAKE SURE WE DON'THAVE THE VIRUS.

PLUS -- THEYDRAW BLOOD TO CHECK FORANTIBODIES -- TO SEE IF WE'VEHAD THE CORONAVIRUS IN THEPAST.

THEN IT'S ONTO THE THEVACCINE.

IT'S A DOUBLE BLINDSTUDY.

HALF ARE RECEIVING THEVACCINE THE OTHER HALF APLACEBO.

ACCORDING TO THE HEADOF THE TUCSON TRIAL -- JUSTLIKE ME -- SOME PATIENTS AREREPORTING MINOR SORENESS -- INTHE INJECTION SITE.

"PAT: ALITTLE SHOULDER PAIN." DR.MCGETTIGAN: "A LITTLEDISCOMFORT.

WHICH IS MAYBE TOBE EXPECTED IN SOME CASES.

IKNOW WHEN I'VE GOTTEN A FLUSHOT I'VE HAD THE SAME THING.THAT'S, I'M HOPING, WILL BESOME OF THE WORST EXPERIENCESTHAT PEOPLE HAVE." THE NEXTSTEP IS NIGHTLY CHECKS TO SEEIF WE HAVE ANY SIDE EFFECTS --THROUGH AN APP.

IT KEEPS TABSOF TEMPERATURE, DISCOMFORT ANDEVEN UNEXPECTED STRONGERREACTIONS THAT NEED MEDICALATTENTION.

"IT'S ALL SAFETY ATTHIS POINT, AND EFFICACY.

THEAPP THAT YOU'RE WORKING WITHIS JUST LOOKING TO CAPTURE ANYADVERSE EFFECTS YOU MIGHTHAVE.

WHEN YOU DO 30,000SUBJECTS THAT'S A LOTDIFFERENT THAN DOING HUNDREDS.SOME THINGS MAY COME OUT THATYOU'RE NOT EXPECTING." BUT DR.MCGETTIGAN (IS CONFIDENT INTHIS VACCINE.

IN 4 WEEKS,WE'LL RECEIVE A SECOND DOSE OFTHE VACCINE -- AND OUR BLOODWILL BE CHECKED FOR THEDEVELOPMENT OF ANTIBODIES TOTHE VIRUS.

THAT'S HOWCLINICIANS WILL KNOW THEEFFECTIVENESS OF THE VACCINE.THERE'S STILL TIME FOR (YOU TOBECOME A MEDICAL HERO -- ASDR. MCGETTIGAN CALLS HISPARTICIPANTS.

HE'S ENCOURAGINGFRONTLINE WORKERS AND FIRSTRESPONDERS TO APPLY-- AS WELLAS GROUPS HIT HARD BY THEVIRUS -- LATINOS AND NATIVEAMERICANS.YOU CAN FIND THE EMAIL ADDRESSTO APPLY TO BE A PART OF THETRIAL IN THE WEB VERSION OFTHIS STORY AT KGUN 9 DOT-COM.SO FAR I CAN REPORT JUSTSOME MINOR SORENESS FROM THEINJECTION.

I'LL CONTINUE TOSHARE MY JOURNEY IN THE WEEKSAHEAD.DECADES OF HISTORY FOR SANMANUEL HIGH SCHOOL G