Tampa man among 40,000 Pfizer vaccine trial participants

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – As coronavirus cases climb around the country, the drug maker Pfizer announced Monday that an early analysis of its vaccine trial show it is robustly effective at preventing COVID-19.

It is undoubtedly promising news as infections increase in the U.S. and elsewhere.

“I would definitely encourage everyone to get the vaccine,” said Mike Hammonds, who is participating in the Pfizer vaccine trial.

In late August, he explained that he got the first of two injections.

More than 40,000 people are taking part, reports show, and around half got a placebo. Hammonds does not think he did.

“After the first injection, I felt kinda like a flu shot. My muscle was a little sore. I didn’t have any symptoms at all,” he said.

However, after the second injection, his symptoms grew, but he quickly pulled through and has been fine every since, he explained.

He said he is taking the vaccine trial in stride.

“I guess everybody worries about it, but the more you dwell on it the, the more scary it becomes,” Hammonds said. “We’ve had vaccines ever since I’ve been alive. You have to have trust in the fact that what we’re inoculating in our system is not going to cause problems.”

He recently underwent an anti-body test, but will not know the results until the study finishes. He records any issues or symptoms in a weekly e-journal that is reviewed by his doctor, he said.

“It is a great day for science. It’s a great day for humanity when you realize that your vaccine is 90 percent effectiveness. It’s overwhelming,” Albert Bourla, the CEO of Pfizer, said.

Bourla, making the rounds on television Monday, said if all goes well, the vaccine could be rolled out in huge quantities.

“We believe we should be able to hand out 50 million this year, 1.3 billion next year,” the CEO said.

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