VACAYA 2020

“Like most people, I felt powerless over Covid. As a highly social person who loves to travel, the idea that a global pandemic could stop the world for several years was terrifying. In order to calm my fears, I decided I needed to know more about Covid. I’d spend hours a day scouring the internet to find developing news and research on transmission, treatments, and ultimately vaccines. Learning about mRNA technologies (which Pfizer and Moderna is based on) presented an incredible opportunity to medicine – beyond just this vaccine. By the time clinical trials were available, it was something I had some apprehension about, but felt compelled to volunteer.

“mRNA technology opens up an entirely new and exciting future for medicine. Customized mRNA therapies based on our individual DNA to fight some of the worst diseases is on the horizon. And when the next pandemic happens (hopefully long from now), we have a proven way to create and mass produce vaccines. This isn’t the old egg-incubated flu vaccine of the past.

“My first injection felt as if someone had slugged me in the arm. That lasted a few days. After the second injection, I woke up that evening with a low-grade fever and body aches. I was excited. Having a 50% chance of having received the placebo, I was happy to know my body was likely responding to the vaccine and creating antibodies. I’d learn a few weeks later when going to a routine medical appointment where they tested me for both active infection and antibodies, that I was positive for Covid antibodies, which I wasn’t before the trial.”

Tracy offers this bit of sage advice, “Please look further than the headlines. I’ve been annoyed to see how many articles are written that create doubt and concern. Generally, when you read further than the click-bait headline or reference it to other fact-based sources, you’ll find you’re being taken on a roller coaster that just isn’t necessary. We saw that this week with the concern from the UK regarding allergic reactions to the vaccine. If you read the headlines, you’d likely get worried. You’d start asking yourself about your hay fever allergies (and the like) as it related to the vaccine. In truth, the advisory was for vaccine recipients instructing them to let their provider know if they’ve had strong allergic reactions to medications in the past. That’s no different than what’s asked on the flu vaccine consent form many of us do annually. All providers of the vaccine have the appropriate medications to stop an allergic reaction immediately – just as we’ve done with every vaccination administered in the past four decades.”

“I think it’s extremely important as an African American male that there’s someone visible in the community who can attest to having the vaccine. There’s a lot of fear out there based on the Tuskegee Experiment from decades ago. This unfortunate study has really scared a lot of Black people into not wanting the vaccine… and all for the wrong reasons. Personally, I don’t compare the two. This pandemic is fundamentally different and getting vaccinated is necessary for the safety of all mankind.

“As a Black male also living with HIV (undetectable), it was important to see the effects of how Anti-Retroviral medications react with the Covid-19 vaccine, and to see if there are any parallels with how symptoms of Covid-19 may be suppressed due to those particular medications.

“Working in the travel (Flight Attendant and Vacayan) and massage therapy industries, safety was top of mind when I chose to participate in the Pfizer Trial. I am constantly in close proximity to others, including through touch. So to put my clients at ease, I’ve disclosed my participation in the Trial and what the journey has meant to me being able to be a part of history.”

Ronnie speaks to his fears, “There’s always fear of the unknown. I quickly got past that when I started to meditate and listen to my inner voice. My intuition was telling me that this is the right time and the right moment. Once I accepted that inner peace and the ability of letting go of that fear, everything started to fall in place as it was meant to be. My best advice is to learn to let go of things that don’t serve you any purpose. That includes fear.”

In regard to learning he had antibodies, Ronnie shares, “I asked my two colleagues Tracy and Randle if they had any symptoms after the injections. Both informed me of a slight low-grade fever after the second injection. To my surprise, I didn’t experience a fever like they had. Two weeks after the second injection, I decided to schedule an appointment with Helix Urgent Care for a Covid-19 Antibody Test. I received my results via phone two days later and was informed that I was REACTIVE with Antibodies. I was extremely happy to know that I had received the real vaccine and not the placebo. A huge weight was definitely lifted.”

Ronnie’s final thoughts: “The vaccine is quick: 2 doses, 3 weeks apart. It’s imperative you follow the vaccine schedule. As soon as you have the chance to get the vaccine, I’d seize that opportunity. At some point in the near future, Covid-19 vaccinations are likely to be required for travel to certain destinations, so best to be prepared instead of being caught off guard. Lastly, please remember the sooner everyone gets vaccinated, the sooner we can get back to normal.”

“I couldn’t think of any other way I could help in such a profound way. We were watching the travel industry crumbling around us and I knew the only way out of this would be if an effective vaccine was developed. While my sphere of influence certainly isn’t huge, I wanted to provide those I love and care about a path forward lined with my own first-hand vaccine experience and the knowledge base that’s come with it. I recognized that trust, comfortability, and faith – especially in this crazy age of disinformation – were bound to be important drivers as we all enter this new frontier. 

“I had my first injection in August. I didn’t really have any side effects. There was pain in the injection site for a couple days, but being a diabetic and a constant pin cushion, it wasn’t dissimilar to pain I’d felt before – slightly worse than a flu shot, but not as bad as a tetanus shot. Other than the arm pain and a slight fever, all was good.

“The Pfizer Trial is a double blind trial – meaning neither the participants nor the administrators know who among us got the actual vaccine versus the placebo. I was impatient and couldn’t wait to know which I’d gotten, so I went to LabCorp for an antibody test. I’d had a negative test just before the trial started, so I knew if I had antibodies now that I’d received the vaccine. I was elated to learn I was loaded up with antibodies. It was such a relief. It was kind of like finding out you have a superpower. Sure… I still wore my mask and shield everywhere, but I knew I was protected inside. It was liberating.

“Back in the late aughts, I participated in the drug trials for the medications that would later become PrEP. So to now have participated in two successful trials that have shaped (or will shape) our world is pretty gratifying.”