NASHVILLE, Tennessee (WTVF) – Clinical Research Associates staff in Nashville began administering Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine to unblind patients enrolled in the clinical trial of the vaccine.
Wednesday evening, Dr. William Polk, a Nashville surgeon, the first dose of the vaccine. He will be one of the first to get the vaccine in Tennessee, as it received an emergency permit from the FDA last week.
Clinical Research Associates has been part of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine study with 316 participants since August.
“Frankly, it’s amazing that there is a vaccine, and it has 95% efficacy; it will be distributed to the citizens of America, I think we are very lucky to have the science to make this happen,” Polk said. .
Watch the full interview with Dr. Polk:
Staff offered vaccines on Wednesday to participants who were unaware that they had received the placebo injection in the trial. This recording will first be given to those who work in health care.
“The risk of the vaccine, the little bit of discomfort, maybe a fever; that pales in comparison to the devastating effect it can have on a significant portion of people who get the virus,” Polk said.
Polk will need a second dose in three weeks and he says he will continue to wear a mask in public.
Now he only hopes that this can be the start to defeat COVID-19.
“I just hope we really find out.”
Tennessee hospitals will begin providing the Pfizer vaccine to primary care health workers on Thursday.