As months continue to pass with the numbers of positive COVID-19 cases globally increasing day by day, this Filipina just shared her experience volunteering for the “world’s first phase 3 clinical trial of the COVID-19 inactivated vaccine” being developed in the United Arab Emirates where she is currently located.
Gara Lajara shared her video vlog with WhenInManila.com wherein she documented the step-by-step process of getting vaccinated. Upon arriving at the Abu Dhabi Exhibition Center, Gara was told to proceed to a specific hall where she was given a manual and registration forms. She added a note that volunteers must have an Emirates ID, must be between 18 to 60-years-old, and must not have pre-existing medical conditions to be able to take part in the clinical trial.
She then had to undergo some tests prior to vaccination, namely urine, pregnancy, blood, and swab tests. She was also able to take a video of herself getting vaccinated as long as she didn’t reveal the name of the vaccine. Afterward, she was transferred to the observation room where she was observed for 30 minutes.
She was also given a “diary card” with which she will be monitoring her health for the next seven days. She will then return after three weeks for a second shot. It will take a total of 49 days to know the result of the vaccine.
Throughout the video, Gara kept sharing how emotional she was during the entire process. She also commended the facilities and how organized the process was, as well as how helpful the onsite Filipino nurses were. “Nakakataba din ng puso ang pag-aasikaso ng ating mga bayaning nurse sa bawat volunteers (It fills my heart with pride at how helpful our heroic nurses were to the volunteers),” she told us.
“Sana po ay isa ito sa maging pag-asa nating mga Pilipino (I pray that this will act as a beacon of hope for us Filipinos),” she added. “Na hindi tayo nag-iisa laban sa [COVID-19] (That we are not alone in our fight against COVID-19).”
(ALSO READ: Did Russia complete clinical trials of the world’s first COVID-19 vaccine?)
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