Healthcare workers are first in line.
On December 14, U.S. healthcare workers began to receive their first doses of the Pfizer vaccine.
He received both doses in May.
Andrew Rubin
Now, almost seven months later, Rubin wants to encourage others to get vaccinated.
Verywell Health: How did you hear about the vaccine trial and why did you decide to participate?
Andrew Rubin:I heard about the clinical trial because I work for NYU Langone health.
So I reached out to him.
Given it was a Phase 1 trial, at that point, it was just about safety.
It was very early on.
So they were still looking for participants willing to enroll.
I wanted to help them out.
I work on the business side of health care.
Verywell Health: Were there certain eligibility requirements to be part of the trial?
Andrew Rubin:The eligibility requirements were I’d say, fairly strict.
For starters, you couldn’t have had COVID-19, obviously, because it was testing immunity to it.
And in Phase 1, they were really only looking for healthy volunteers.
They were not looking for people who had any comorbidities or other health conditions.
There was a fairly comprehensive clinical questionnaire.
Lots of blood was drawn and tested.
I had a physical at the vaccine center.
Verywell Health: Did you experience any symptoms after each shot?
Andrew Rubin:I did.
I was one of the people who did get some aches and pains.
Im also fairly athletic.
I didn’t get sick until the evening.
So I may have enhanced the symptoms.
Verywell Health: Where did you receive the vaccine and what was the process of receiving the vaccine like?
They always did what they called safety bloods.
They took 10 tubes of blood, and I think eight of them went to Pfizer to be analyzed.
Then, I would wait about a half-hour for the vaccine administrator because it was a blinded study.
No one in the study center actually knew what I was getting.
They had to wait for the person who had the vaccines to bring them over from the laboratory.
And then I went about my day and went back to work.
I had to record my symptoms on an app every day for the first week after receiving the vaccine.
Its called the COVID-19 Diary.
Verywell Health: How comfortable did you feel with the process and the information they provided you with?
Andrew Rubin:They were terrific.
No one’s actually told me that I didn’t get a placebo.
The reason I know I didn’t get a placebo is because I got sick after both shots.
Verywell Health: Prior to your participation, what did you know about the vaccine development?
Andrew Rubin:At that point, I knew it was all very hopeful.
But people were very anxious and everybody had been in lockdown for two months.
Its out before Christmas, and we’re vaccinating our healthcare workers.
So its pretty remarkable how fast we’ve been able to do this.
Verywell Health: Any advice youd like to share with those looking to get vaccinated?
Andrew Rubin:I would say the two following things.
One, is that it works.
And two, that it’s very safe.
Then I remind people that I took it seven months ago.
I’m still followed and examined by the vaccine center.
I still have 10 toes and 10 fingers.
I’ve had my annual physical in between.
My blood work came back perfectly.
I’m totally healthy.
I haven’t had any illnesses.
People really don’t need to be afraid of the vaccine because it’s safe.
I’ve had it for six months.
I’ve had no lasting side effects.
The liberation you feel knowing you’re vaccinated is very powerful.
Verywell Health: What was receiving it like for you, emotionally?
Since you were in New York when the height of the pandemic hit.
I didn’t know if it was going to work.
I didn’t know if it was dangerous or not.
I was able to contribute to that.
I happened to hit the jackpot and got the dose that worked in the vaccine category that worked.
So I was both very emotional and grateful that I came through it healthy.
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Businesswire.Pfizer and BioNTech Share Positive Early Data on Lead mRNA Vaccine Candidate BNT162b2 Against COVID-19.
August 20, 2020.
