SAN DIEGO (KGTV) – With testing of potential COVID-19 vaccines speeding up and clinical trials underway, there are some who say they won’t be getting one once a vaccine is in production.
Gwen Strickland said her son experienced a severe reaction to a common vaccine.
"It was something that had never crossed my mind until I witnessed it,” Strickland told ABC 10News.
When Strickland hears talk of a potential coronavirus vaccine, she's skeptical the benefits outweigh the risks.
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"I'd want to see some really long-term data that could guarantee it before I'd be comfortable injecting it into my body or my family," she said.
As the pandemic continues on, the race to create a reliable vaccine pushes forward. Some companies are already in the later phases of their trials, including American biotech company Moderna.
Moderna’s Phase 3 trial is being conducted at UC San Diego, under the supervision of principal investigator Dr. Stephen Spector.
While earlier stages involved healthy people, these new patients will be those at higher risk of developing the disease or with underlying conditions.
"They are the people who can most benefit and we want to make sure if we have a vaccine it works in these individuals," said Spector.
Spector said this particular trial will include 30,000 patients around the country.
The size is designed to give researchers a better idea of how safe it could be in the larger population.
He said one of the most frequent questions he gets is: Can I get coronavirus from the vaccine?
"The answer is absolutely no, the vaccine does not contain the virus,” said Spector.
While Dr. Spector and other health experts say a vaccine is the key to getting the virus under control, parents like Strickland say they won't be lining up to get injected.