As COVID-19 vaccine gets close to being introduced, Arizonan speaks out about trial process

Arizonan who took part in coronavirus vaccine trial speaks out

The chief of the Tubac Fire District is one out of many who took part in Moderna's coronavirus vaccine trial.

PHOENIX - As the world gets closer to a. COVID-19 vaccine becoming available, FOX 10 spoke with some of the people who took part in the trial for those vaccines.

"I think the first time I had the shot, I think my arm was sore, but I have no idea if that was related to the vaccine," said Tubac Fire District Chief Cheryl Horvath, who took part in Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine trial.

While Horvath’s arm was sore for a bit, But she’s feeling fine as of Dec. 3.

The speed the vaccine was developed at is nothing short of a modern scientific miracle - but it’s that exact reason which could make some people fearful of getting it

“You are going to have an immune reaction. The reports I’ve heard is some people feel it more on the second shot than the first. The first shot is laying the groundwork, the second is the boost, that’s why there’s a stronger reaction. It’s your immune system working," said Dr. Ross Goldberg with Valleywise Health.

Dr. Goldberg says anxiety about the vaccine is expected, but people should have confidence in the people who have already participated in the trials.

"The way I remind people is I’m going to get the shot when it’s available. I’m being a guinea pig? I’m not, we’re past that stage, if you wanted to be guinea pig, participate in the trials. We’re not," said Dr. Goldberg.
and at the end of the day, a sore arm and mild fever from a shot is better than the alternative

“For me, I don’t want to end up on a ventilator, even though I’m in good health, I’m not high risk, but if it was between being on a ventilator or a shot in the arm, pretty sure I’d take the shot in the arm," said Horvath.

Preliminary data shows promise for vaccines

Since the start of November, at least three vaccines have shown promising results, based on preliminary data.

On Nov. 9, Pfizer announced that its COVID-19 vaccine, which was jointly developed with its German partner BioNTech, may be 90% effective. On Nov. 20, the two companies formally submitted a request for emergency use authorization.

On Nov. 16, Moderna announced that its COVID-19 vaccine appears to be 94.5% effective.

On Nov. 23, AstraZeneca announced that its COVID-19 vaccine with Oxford University was up to 90% effective in preventing disease, based on interim analysis of late-stage trials in the United Kingdom and Brazil.

During a news conference on Dec. 2, Gov. Doug Ducey said he has issued an executive order that will allow Arizonans to receive the vaccine for free.

Tune in to FOX 10 Phoenix for the latest news

Get the latest coronavirus news by downloading the FOX 10 News App. Our promise is that our alerts are there to inform you - not scare you.

On CoronavirusNOW.com, you'll find extensive coverage about COVID-19, including breaking news from around the country, exclusive interviews with health officials, and informative content from a variety of public health resources.

Sign up for FOX 10 email alerts, newsletters

COVID-19 symptoms

Symptoms for coronavirus COVID-19 include fever, coughing, and shortness of breath. These, of course, are similar to the common cold and flu.

Expect a common cold to start out with a sore or scratchy throat, cough, runny and/or stuffy nose. Flu symptoms are more intense and usually come on suddenly, and can include a high fever.

Symptoms of COVID-19 may appear more slowly. They usually include fever, a dry cough and noticeable shortness of breath, according to the World Health Organization. A minority of cases develop pneumonia, and the disease is especially worrisome for the elderly and those with other medical problems such as high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes or heart conditions.