National City Mayor Leads By Example And Joins Vaccine Trial

Speaker 1: 00:00 Now with more than a million cases of Corona virus documented in California, and more than a hundred thousand people being diagnosed in the U S each day, the COVID 19 news this week was grim, but there was also some hope results from the Pfizer vaccine trials are showing it's vaccine is 90% effective, but the Pfizer vaccine is just one of several being tested, a major trial of a Johnson and Johnson vaccine is being conducted through UC San Diego. And today one prominent volunteer participated in that trial national city mayor Alejandra Sotelo. So lease was vaccinated this morning and she joins us now, mayor, welcome to the show. Thank you so much. First of all, how did the vaccination go this morning? I mean, was it just like getting a flu shot? Speaker 2: 00:48 It was, um, in addition to getting a blood drawn going on the scale, getting to nasal swabs, but yeah, it was just like the flu shot outside of those three new different components and filling out paperwork. But I think for the most part, the injection itself feels just like the flu shot. Why did Speaker 1: 01:08 You want to volunteer for this trial? Speaker 2: 01:11 I think it's really important. Uh, you, you talked about, you know, the nation's number of COVID-19 infection rate and the positive rate going up. And for us in national city, we've been at the forefront, you know, battling in the pandemic from asking to testing sites, to providing resources to those who are impacted. So when we announced the partnership with UC San Diego for the vaccine trial site, I encouraged my residents to find out more about the vaccine trial itself. And so I hated my own advice. I actually looked it up. I found out what it took. And one of the things that it asks if you had cancer, you know, within the year and last year had shared with the public that a mole that we had been monitoring was actually melanoma. And almost a year to the date, I was cleared a 100%. Cancer-free good to go. I got the thumbs up from my doctor and I got the thumbs up to participate in the trial because I was able to do that. Follow-up with my doctor and it's that type of checkup that helps the participants, you know, if they have those comorbidities or even cancer per se, to really see if they are qualified or eligible. Should I say for the COVID-19 trial? Speaker 1: 02:31 Yeah. Tell us a little bit more about what the screening process is like to see if you do qualify to be a test subject for this vaccine. Speaker 2: 02:39 Well, you have to fill out a really quick, uh, online survey and that's the initial, uh, COVID 19 sd.com website survey. And you send in your information and they've collected about 1800 names for that bank of potential participants. Once you fill that out, then you have another interview, uh, where they will ask you additional questions, like a health screening. And then once you get accepted into the third phase or the screening, then you go and today, uh, was that fortunate for me where I got the blood draw, the two nasal swabs that both the deep, for some people who have had the COVID-19 deaths, you know what I'm talking about? The one that goes a little deeper and then just the initial one right in the nose. And then, you know, making sure that all of the paperwork, all the consents are done. And then after that they administer the vaccine. And again, it's a double blind study. So you can be one who receives the vaccine, or you can be one that receives a placebo. As in many of the trials around the nation, right Speaker 1: 03:48 Now the Johnson and Johnson vaccine trial was suspended for a time because one of the trial participants got sick. Are you concerned about having a bad reaction to the vaccine? If that is indeed what you got? Speaker 2: 04:00 Well, you know, for me, knowing that they actually took that pause and were very purposeful. Uh, this is part of protocol for any vaccine and, um, I'm glad they actually took the time to, to do that and to stop because it means that the person who actually was affected, uh, whether it have been a reaction to the vaccine or not, I think it's really important to know that they value that person's participation and that they will stop if there are reactions. And so for me, that's why I felt that that trust, that safety in what was being done and the protocols that they were meeting. So it wasn't fear. It was okay. So what happened? They addressed it and then they were able to move on. Now Speaker 1: 04:48 Doctors give you any special instructions after you are vaccinated. Are you supposed to go home and rest? Speaker 2: 04:53 Well, I was, uh, observed for 30 minutes after the shot and I was able to learn a little bit more about what symptoms to monitor for redness in the shot area, if there's any swelling, any headaches or fever, and you have a, an E diary that you keep. So any of those symptoms you can actually document and you have a 24 hour line as well. So if you feel something off, you can dial that number and speak to a medical professional, uh, to help maybe easier your concern or raise it to the next level to where, you know, maybe you have to follow up with, uh, one of the doctors there, Speaker 1: 05:38 Mayor, I wonder, are you encouraging more national city residents to sign up for this test? Speaker 2: 05:43 Yes, I am encouraging not only national city residents, but the diversity that is San Diego County. We know Latinos have been disproportionately impacted. Uh, but I would encourage all within our community to participating because we are the makeup of, of San Diego County. African-American Filipino Vietnamese. We need to know what and how we can all contribute to the solution of fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. And this is one way to do it Speaker 1: 06:17 Speaking with national city mayor Alejandra Sotelo. So Elise, I hope you have a very peaceful weekend with no side effects. Thank you so much for speaking with us. Speaker 2: 06:26 Thank you so much.