To know if they work, they need volunteers.
Carla Garcia is one of them.
Before vaccines received government approval, Carla was one of the first in Southern California to volunteer for the AstraZeneca – Oxford University vaccine test.
“The reason it’s important for me to participate is because there’s not a lot of information coming out of trials through clinics or not about black people,” he said.
COVID-19 disproportionately affects African Americans, Latinos, and other ethnic groups. But surveys show that vaccine hesitation is higher in these groups.
“There has to be some commitment from the black population, the Latino population and other minority cultures in the process itself, so that we can get the same benefits from the results.”
The AstraZeneca approach is already used in pneumonia and shingles vaccines. The researchers modified a common cold virus to transport COVID-19 genetic material to the body. The first phase three trials show that the AstraZeneca vaccine showed 90% efficacy in those who received a full dose and then a half dose a month later.
“Like a flu shot, the next day there was pain in my arm. It felt very similar to that.”
To vaccinate between 70 and 80% of Americans, many more companies need to produce vaccines. Others in process are Johnson and Johnson, Sanofi and Novavax.
“With everything happening. It’s important for us to see where we can make an impact and where we can make a difference.”
With rising case and mortality rates, Carla, who works at a plasma donation center, cares about her health care colleagues.
“It’s a tragedy to see where we’ve come in terms of how many people are sick.”
Carla hopes her example will encourage the participation of more minorities.
You can learn more about vaccine testing on the COVID-19 Prevention Network at the U.S. National Institutes of Health.
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