@
tryp4vps
Thank you !!
It took almost 2 hours in all which included dealing with the consent form, waiting inside, check ups and then administration of the first dose. So I am sure you could live for two hours without your mobile phone and computer. :-)
they gave it back once i came out and handed them my token.
thank you, @
sagher
Actually I believe everyone is special in their own way due to the uniqueness factor. But yes, it was a special experience. I was waiting for it for some time with much eagerness.
Can`t thank you enough for your kind and encouraging words ! @
Manal
Everything you said is so true. Take me as an example. I read a lot and try to understand how it all works. But even the gods in every fields do make mistakes. Also there are many precedents of vaccine trials going wrong. So in essence, this is like believing blindly the experts involved and putting your life on the line.
I am sure all the participants have their own way of thinking why they want to do it. Mine also include the thought that i do not like fighting and killing for the country or religion or race etc. I like to think that I am a human born on the planet Earth. So this is my way of serving science and doing my part in the betterment of everyone on our lovely rock.
@
deanhills
:-D Thanks !! You are as encouraging and reassuring as ever !
"How does this work really?"
I mailed the institutes involved in the 2-3 phase trial of the Cambridge-AstraZeneca-SII collaboration COVID-19 vaccine. They accepted me. But I did not wish to go to Pune or Delhi for this. So I was waiting for some trial to start here in Kolkata.
Then I read about this COVAXIN trial starting here and read as much about it as I could find. It only took a call to register myself and they fixed a time and date for me. They also let me know that i won`t be allowed to take any camera, phone or recording device inside. Cause they don`t want to take the risk of any confidential document leaking out.
After I went inside, they gave me a a bunch of documents describing the trial and their liabilities and our responsibilities, for us to read and understand. They were encouraging everyone to ask any related questions to clear any doubts and also informed that we could simply choose to not sign the consent form and leave . Some were asking about whether it was safe to join the trial while they took this or that drug or whether they could bring an older person to take part in this and such. I asked that how am I supposed to know if i got the vaccine or the placebo ? cause what happens if another effective vaccine comes in the market while I am still under observation ? They said that after the trial is over, there is a big chance that the company will call every participant who got a placebo and give them required doses of the vaccine. If someone needed to know about it earlier, then their will have to be some special circumstances and then the company will disclose the information to the participant upon formal request.
After this, I signed the consent form and they gave a copy of it to me while requesting not to send or publish pictures of it due to confidentiality requirements. (I let them know that this was really a weird request , as clearly it didnt contain any intellectual property on which the company could claim any exclusive legal rights. They said that it was just to avoid any undue complexity arising out of such publicity ot to curb misinformation.. whatever..)
Next they did a basic work up including BP, heart rate, weight, height, eye and tongue check etc. After they were satisfied with it , another person took some blood from a vein in my right hand. Next, I was given the first dose of the vaccine ( or placebo). Then another person explained to me about how to use their medical record book to keep track of any signs or symptoms that may seem not normal and which numbers to call in case of medical emergency. They also assured me that they will call from time to time to check on my condition even though they have not encountered any adverse reaction in any participant so far. Then I was released from there, collected my phone and went back to my place.
My next visit for the second dose is in the first week of January, 2021.
It has been 2 days since and i have not felt anything out of ordinary. Not even any lasting pain where they injected the vaccine ( or saline water or whatever the placebo is).
Are you given the vaccine in quarantine or are you allowed to go home?
Allowed to go home.
Do you have to report in every day?
Not really. They have given a log book type thing on which I am required to write about any medical observation and resolution with date and time and also they have given me two mobile numbers which I can call at any time during the trial for assistance.
Are you being compensated for it?
None said about any compensation to me. But one of the participants said that they will pay rs 750 after we are done taking the second dose.
Do you get lots of information about how it works? Maybe a tour of the facility where it is being produced?
Not really. There was absolutely no information about how the vaccine is made or supposed to work on the documents provided. But the doctors in charge were explaining the basics of this type of vaccines to those who asked about it. It is a deactivated virus based one. The old time tested approach.
to be continued...
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LOVE FOR ALL