Like millions of other Americans, when the新闻爆发了上个月，辉瑞公司的Covid-19疫苗已被FDA批准，我很高兴。这个漫长的噩梦是finally即将结束，以一定的预期疫苗的形式直接出来的卡拉马祖，密歇根州。 - 一个我所说的地方13年。
如我们这么多人，当我在社交媒体上看到照片时，我窒息了情感of essential workers在全国范围内 - 包括我自己的一些朋友和家人 - 举起他们的疫苗卡或展示他们的手臂，并有一个新的带援助。这些令人难以置信的人类在这种大流行期间都有很多人，以及他们会的概念finallyget some protection from this awful virus gave me goosebumps. Plus, by showing the world they weren’t afraid to get the vaccine, they were doing a伟大的公共服务对于那些对新疫苗可能持怀疑态度或害怕成为“豚鼠”的人。
Looking at the vaccine roll-out plans in my state (Texas), I knew it would be quite a long time before it was my turn — late spring, early summer would probably be the soonest I’d be eligible. I figured that, until then, my family and I would just keep doing what we’ve been doing —masking up，社会疏远，洗手，祈祷我们没有得到它。我坚持下去，在新的政府管理下，滚出将更加组织并以更快的步伐移动。
But when I heard about a new, phase 3 clinical trial for the Novavax Covid-19 vaccine — already trialing in the UK — it immediately piqued my interest. Though I had never participated in a clinical trial before, I knew of a handful of people who had been a part of the Pfizer and Moderna ones. They had shared their experiences this fall, which made joining a study feel slightly less scary to me.
What’s more, the idea of contributing to science at such a historic moment felt exciting and important. I’m already a blood donor,an organ donor, and am in the process of getting on thebone marrow/stem cell registry- 所以这似乎是一个自然的下一步。同样重要的是，作为一个犹太女性以逐步领导她的孩子，参与研究将是一个促进而不是一个人的机会二犹太价值观我亲爱的：Pikuach Nefesh.(saving a life) andTikkun Olam.(healing the world).
I read up onthe specific vaccine, how it works, how it compares to the others (e.g., it just needs normal refrigeration — meaning, if approved, it would be more easily distributed in rural areas and in the developing world). I was sold, and my husband was, too. We went through the initial screening and learned that, if eligible for the study, there would be a 2 in 3 chance we would get the actual vaccine — pretty good odds! And although double-blind study participants won’t know whether they got the vaccine or placebo until the study is unblinded, we figured it was still worth the shot (pardon the pun!). Ultimately, either way, we’d get vaccinated atsome点。并且考虑到我没有看到我的家人自感恩节2019年以来because of the pandemic, being vaccinated would help make travel to see them possible again. That thought alone gave me hope.
在我们的筛选前的夜晚，我们解释了我们为我们的孩子们做了什么，10岁和7岁。我们告诉他们妈妈和爸爸将成为一个科学实验的一部分，我们会得到一个镜头may是Covid-19疫苗，并将被监测到我们对注射的反应，以及任何Covid-19 symptoms。
“So wait, you could get the vaccine明天？“我7岁的儿子问，嘴巴agape。It was hard for him to wrap his little mind around the fact that 1) his parents could maybe get one of the vaccines he’s heard so much about — the “cure” to this pandemic, in his mind, and 2) that we wouldn’t know if we had for a while. (Parents are supposed to知道的东西！）
At noon, we arrived at our assigned research facility for an in-person screening to confirm our eligibility. Upon checking in, we received a mountain of paperwork to read. Among other things, we learned it would be a 26-month study that would require eight to 10 in-person visits for blood draws, wellness exams, and more — with four of the visits in the first three months. Fortunately, our neighbors have loosely formed大流行豆荚, and the kids regularly get together to play outside after school and on weekends, so childcare, at least, won’t be an issue.
My biggest concern going into a clinical studynow- 虽然存在另外两个批准的疫苗 - 是试验的蒙蔽方面。当然，盲目的研究是有必要的，但当然，我担心如果我们得到安慰剂, whenwould we know? Would we miss an opportunity to receive the actual vaccine? The use of placebos while approved vaccines are available is a合法的道德问题that has plagued clinical researchers, too. Fortunately, we learned that we would find out which injection we got when either the study is unblinded or we become eligible for the approved vaccine in our state — whichever comes first. That put my mind at ease.
在回答了Gazillion的问题后，我们有维持我们的生命。我们有四个血液绘制并获得了Covid-19测试。然后，最后，我们正式注册了该研究。我在浮动叹息之间交替 -我们做了！- 感受着奇怪的新发生的内疚，实现了虽然我没有任何注射的线索 - 疫苗或安慰剂 - 不知何故，我们有“切”的长线the vaccine.
就在这时,医生和主任study at our location came in to introduce himself to us. He swiftly allayed any guilt I felt: He thanked us profusely for our participation, and, looking me in the eye, he said, “Clinical trials are the most ethical way to ‘move up the line,’ so to speak. Please know, you and all the participants in研究是做usa service here.” I glanced over at my husband and smiled.
几分钟后，疫苗技术人员加入我们，两个注射管 - 每个注射管有66.6％的机会是Covid-19疫苗。在德克萨斯州的学校和人物中的孩子们在学校和数字上升起来，我说是一个沉默的祈祷，因为它是我们两者的疫苗。
She raised my sleeve and gave the jab in my upper arm. It felt like any other shot — just a slight pinch. I let out a deep exhale; there was no going back now! My husband went next. Minutes later, we were thanked again and sent to another room to learn how to use the daily symptoms monitoring app.
然后我们被提供了一个“礼物袋”，其中包括温度计（每日临时检查），塑料测量胶带（如果它变为红色，则测量注射部位），几个PCR试验（如果我们有症状发作）以及阅读材料和24/7试用电话线的数量。现在我们在研究中，任何可能的covid-19相关症状将由当地的研究设施及其头部医师讨论。
We made our next appointment for 21 days later, and were each given cash. This part completely surprised me: Maybe it’s naïve to say, but having zero prior experience with clinical trials, I didn’t know that we’d be paidanything参加 - 当然不是第一个！事实证明，我们将为我们的每个后续访问付款。
I had read up on possible symptoms, so I knew what可以在商店里对我们：发烧，疲劳，身体疼痛，头痛，恶心等等。我很惊喜只会体验他们中的一些：那天晚上和接下来的两天，我的手臂感到疼痛，触感，并有点痒，在注射的地方令人发痒。我有一个轻微的头痛，感觉有点偏离，但否则很好。我的丈夫觉得有点酸痛，但这真的很糟糕。由于每个人都反应不同，因此它并不意味着什么 - 但我确实有一个亨希，鉴于我的反应，我得到了实际的疫苗。
如果我们得到“真正的交易”，我们的孩子们猜测了猜测。时间会告诉。我们的第一次注射是一周前的，我们的下一个后续访问是在两周内。我们将继续在应用程序上监控自己，并根据我们参与研究的要求进行办理入住手续。
作为一个人，它很难不知道当然我们至少拍摄了哪一枪。我必须相信科学，并知道它是通过我还是安慰剂的疫苗，我捐赠了我的身体和我的科学时间，以获得更好和更健康的未来all我们。仅那种知识使其变得值得。
如果您有兴趣了解加入临床试验的更多信息，请检查CDC.ORG.欲获得更多信息。
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