Local Pfizer vaccine trial participant happy to be a part of the process

CHARLOTTE — When it comes to clinical trials, Shannon Weatherly is an expert. She is the chief operations officer of a research organization, which specializes in trials.

Weatherly said she knew she had to step up after she found out Pfizer was seeking vaccine trial participants locally.

“For me, it was just something for me to do to help the field of science,” she said. “Particularly, life sciences, which are so important right now, as we battle this pandemic.”

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Weatherly said she felt an adrenaline rush when she was on her way to her first appointment. The trial was a blind study, so they didn’t tell her whether she got the COVID-19 vaccine or a placebo, which was a shot of salt water into her arm.

“It was just pretty quick. Boom. Done. Over,” she said.

The Pfizer vaccine needs two shots taken weeks apart. When she got her second inoculation, the medical team told her if it was real, she may feel mild symptoms. Within a couple of hours, she felt minor aches and fatigue. After 24 hours, she said she was fine.

“When I look at medical professionals, doctors and nurses on the front lines of this pandemic, I wish I could give my vaccine to them but because of the trial, we will be able to get it to them quicker,” she said.

Weatherly still wears a mask and social distances herself from others.

She is taking an antibody test next week to confirm her vaccination. She hopes when it is distributed to the general public, people won’t hesitate to roll up their sleeves.

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“If your fear is the needle, itself, that is the least of our worries, because it is much worse to get COVID-19,” she said.

Weatherly must regularly follow up with the trial. She and three friends participated. Two of them felt nothing. Another participant had mild symptoms like Weatherly.

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Cox Media Group