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Senator Brad Hoylman has confirmed that he was one of the 43,000 people around the world who took part in the Pfizer vaccine trial. He signed up in August for the trial after his husband, David Sigal, and children, Silvia and Lucy, contracted the COVID-19 virus.
He told PIX11 that he did not catch it with the rest of his family, so he felt he needed to do something: “I believe in the safety and efficacy of vaccines, and I signed up for a vaccine trial.”
Senator Hoylman has spent part of his legislative career fighting for vaccines, including sponsoring a bill several years ago that repealed exemptions for the measles vaccine based on religious beliefs. He signed up at NYU Langone Medical Center for the vaccine trial and had his second dose on August 25.
In the trial, only half of the participants were given the vaccine and half given a placebo as it’s a blind study. Hoylman doesn’t know which category he’s in. He received two doses several weeks apart and did come down with symptoms.
“After the second dose, I had chills, I had a fever and I had some muscle aches for about 24 hours.” Hoylman shared.
Pfizer announced on Monday that early results show their coronavirus vaccine is 90% effective. With Dr. Anthony Fauci saying there is a strong possibility we could all be vaccinated by April, there is greater optimism about ending the pandemic.
“I hope with tens of thousands of others, including many New Yorkers, participating in the trial, this will help to defeat this virus. I think it’s going to be incredibly important that we trust the science,” said Hoylman.