Two brave young Filipino Americans volunteered as test subjects in a clinical research trial on how well Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine can protect kids six months to 11 years old.
8-year-old Cal Solomon getting his first dose of Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine as part of clinical trial.
9-year-old Avery Solomon getting his first dose of Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine as part of clinical trial.
8-year-old Cal and 9-year-old Avery Solomon of Aldie, Virginia, received their first jabs as part of Moderna's 'KidCOVE' clinical study which was participated in by more than 13,000 kids nationwide. "It wasn't pretty painful but it felt like you had a cactus or a plant. Someone was like tossing it around, and it accidentally hit your shoulder," shared Avery.
The two children's parents, Anne and Carlo, are fully vaccinated. But being frontliners, they fear that they are potentially exposing their kids to the coronavirus, so they want the children to be part of something that could ultimately protect them and other kids from COVID-19.
"Since we're in the healthcare profession, we're very scared of them acquiring the disease from us so I was looking up clinical trials and I chanced upon it and so we enrolled them," said Anne, who is a medical doctor.
Meanwhile, Carlo, who is a firefighter paramedic, said that he has seen it all including the pain of seeing loved ones suffer and die from COVID-19. "I've experienced lots of people, kids under the age of 11, having the virus, who have been very sick," said Carlo. "We were given opportunity to participate in the study so that we can protect those kids."
Fil-Am siblings Cal and Avery Solomon take part in Moderna's 'KidCOVE' clinical study.
For the young Solomons, it is about helping kids who will eventually benefit from the results of this clinical trial. Cal urged, "if you’re playing with them but if you don't want to wear a mask, you have to get vaccinated."
In 28 days, the Solomon brothers will get their second jab to complete their Moderna vaccination. Anne said that the researchers will continue to monitor the children's reaction to the vaccine for a year. She and Carlo believe that the vaccination is one step closer to achieving herd immunity.
"The higher the percentage of the population is vaccinated, the higher chances of us attaining herd immunity. So that's one step closer to changing the course of this disease," asserted Anne.
Filipino Americans, Cal and Avery Solomon, Virginia, clinical trial, Moderna, COVID-19, vaccine, TFC News