who is part of the privileged group of Argentines who receive the Pfizer vaccine

Negotiations between the government and the Pfizer laboratory are not yet closed, but a group of Argentines you already have your vaccine against the coronavirus. They are among the 6,000 volunteers participating in the clinical trial underway at the military hospital.

The pharmaceutical company “opens the envelopes”, first of all, to those who belong to the groups at risk of Covid-19. They inform them if during the study they received two doses of the vaccine or, on the contrary, two doses of placebo. If they haven’t been vaccinated, they can go to the hospital and get it.

In a statement sent to all participants, Pfizer clarified that those who do not belong to risk groups they will have the same opportunity to be invited to receive the vaccine, if they have already received a placebo.

This will happen on your next visit to the center. Based on what he was able to find Bugle Among several volunteers, the date of this meeting – which will be the fourth out of a total of six – is varied: it begins in February and continues at least until May.

“They have just confirmed that I went and got a vaccine. They sent me a certificate. I am very happy and proud to have contributed to humanity, ”says lawyer Alberto Domínguez, who is 60 years old, suffers from asthma and still decided to undergo the test.

According to his account, he received a call last week from an investigator, who told him that, as directed by Pfizer, he was able to open the envelope. She asked him if he agreed, to which Domínguez nodded. Then he informed him that he was going to request the documentation from the United States.

This Tuesday, the same professional called him back. He confirmed that he belonged to the “vaccine group”, congratulated him and told him that it was no longer necessary to transfer him to the hospital to apply the doses.

Then, the volunteer received a certificate by mail, stating that “he received the experimental candidate vaccine BNT162b2” on September 23, 2020 (first dose) and October 15, 2020 (second dose).

“I I wanted to get rid of the doubt, because my 30-year-old partner has passed away. In seven days, the Covid liquidated it, ”explains the lawyer. “So when the doctor called me, I said, ‘Yes, please take me out of this angst. Because my partner is dead and I want to know if I can get vaccinated, even with Sputnik (Russian vaccine), ”continues Domínguez.

Upon receipt of news, the first thing he felt was relief, because “I realized that the vaccine was protecting me”. Another feeling that came over him was pride, because he saw it as a way of having contributed to society.

“I have the best of the best”, rejoices Domínguez of the vaccine which, from his point of view, “is so successful in the Western world”. He feels privileged.

In this sense, he says he is “a little disappointed“Because the Argentine government has not finished closing negotiations with this laboratory. A disappointment shared by many volunteers who put their bodies in this project.

How did the clinical trial go?

About 6000 Argentines between 18 and 85 years of age were selected to participate in the clinical trial, based on 20 thousand volunteers registered in an online form.

The study – coordinated by researcher Fernando Polack – provides for patient follow-up during two years with scheduled meetings at the military hospital. In total, each participant will make approximately six visits.

Only half of the participants received the vaccine. The other half have a placebo, which is a substance without therapeutic action. This is a “double blind” study because neither the doctors nor the patients know who gets what. This gives the test more objectivity.

Volunteers they don’t get money. They are covered by exclusive health insurance, which they sign with consent. And they can leave the study whenever they want.

To carry out this program, more than 700 people work in medical care, daily consultations and transfers of volunteers from home to military hospital and vice versa. They received special training for this study.