NASHVILLE, Tennessee (WTVF) – Nashville Clinical Research Associates staff began administering Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine to pacify patients who participated in the vaccine clinical trial.
Wednesday night, Dr. William Polk, a Nashville surgeon, received the first dose of the vaccine. He will be one of the first to receive the vaccine in Tennessee, as the FDA received emergency clearance last week.
Associate clinical researchers have been part of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine trial since August with 316 participants.
“Frankly, it’s miraculous to have a vaccine and it’s 95% effective; it’s going to be distributed to the citizens of America, I just think we’re lucky to have the science to allow that to happen,” Polk said.
Watch the full interview with Dr. Polk below:
Staff on Wednesday offered vaccines to participants who did not know they were given the placebo shot during the trial. This plan will be given first to those working in the field of health.
“The risk of the vaccine, the discomfort, maybe the fever; it’s obvious compared to the devastating effect it can have on a really significant portion of people who get the virus,” Polk said.
Polk will need a second dose in three weeks and says he will continue to wear a mask in public.
Now he only hopes that this can be the start in defeating COVID-19.
“I just hope we get behind that.”
Tennessee hospitals will begin providing the Pfizer vaccine to front-line health workers Thursday.