Back in May, David Rach became one of the first people to participate in a COVID-19 vaccine trial at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.
Recently, vaccine makers Pfzier and BioNTech released initial findings indicating the vaccine trial appears to be making COVID antibodies faster than typically seen in infected individuals, reported NBC News.
Now Rach, who is a graduate student studying immunology, is speaking out about the vaccine’s early promising results.
“It’s exciting," Rach told WJLA. "It’s exciting from the side of a participant and graduate student studying immunology and also exciting in the promise of a vaccine by next year and life returning to a semblance of normal.”
”There is a component of relief seeing that it's actually producing results, that the vaccine is producing antibodies,” he added.
Since it was a double-blind trial, Rach isn’t completely sure he received the actual vaccine or a placebo saline solution. But after experiencing a slight reaction upon receiving a second dose, Rach believes he’s one of the only people to have received an actual vaccine against coronavirus, the outlet noted.
“I joke with my friends I’m not going around licking doorknobs just to prove it does work or doesn’t work,” Rach added.
“So my behavior if you see me around Baltimore I’m still wearing my same mask. I’m still giving extra space. I have a little bit extra back of the mind security that maybe I am protected even if somebody walking by does have COVID but at the same time I’m still playing my part at flattening the curve.”
Rach is set to be checked again in October to follow-up on the vaccine trial’s progression.
Pfizer has said if vaccine is successful, they will ramp up production to make up to 100 million doses by the end of the year.
According to WHO, there are currently 17 vaccines currently in human trials around the globe, reported the AP.
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