Eight months ago to the day, a clinical trial started in Seattle which may lead to a coronavirus vaccine. Moderna announced its vaccine appears to be 94.5% effective, according to preliminary data from an ongoing study.
The trial's first participants were thrilled by the news.
"I was so excited this morning to wake up and hear that Moderna has an almost 95% efficacy rate," said Jen Haller of Seattle.
Haller and Neal Browning of Bothell were the first to receive the experimental injection in the race for a COVID-19 vaccine.
"It's a momentous occasion," Browning said Monday. He had two injections and blood draws during the trial, and said he had no side effects from any of it. "I've noticed none other than the next morning, after each of the two injections, my arm was a little bit sore, much like you'd have with a typical flu shot."
The results, along with the news last week about positive results surrounding a Pfizer version, lends to the idea that the FDA could issue emergency approval of a vaccine as early as December for hospital, front line and vulnerable groups. It could take months longer to fully implement.
"We don't want to celebrate too early," Browning said. "We don't want to let our guard down, especially in light of the new restrictions that are going into place that Governor Inslee talked about yesterday. It's important to just keep doing what we need to now. Because, even if the vaccine is approved tomorrow, it's not out there in wide enough consumption for people to resume normal life."
Despite being the first to receive Moderna's trial vaccine, Haller continues to maintain her distance and wear a mask around others.
She said, "I really hope that this serves as a good example, certainly for my kids and for my community to think larger than yourself and to consider the privilege that you have in your life and to be able to use that to help others. And that's what I did. I hope that that other people can be inspired to do similar acts for our community."
Haller said the vaccine trial was a smooth experience for her, "The only side effects I had was soreness at the site of injection. Both times that I had that I had the vaccine, you know, my arm was sore the next day, but besides that, I've felt great and normal." Haller said.
