(KSLTV)
WEST JORDAN, Utah — A pair of Utah brothers have volunteered for the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine trial in children. They’re sharing their experience after recording their symptoms daily through an app provided by the trial.
8-year-old Jackson and 10-year-old Kaden of West Jordan got their first shots last week.
Thankfully, both said any side effects they experienced have been relatively mild.
“I had a sore arm, fatigue and a headache,” explained Kaden Sweeten. “But, I feel fine now. We cannot reach herd immunity if the kids aren’t vaccinated like the adults.”
Both are set to receive their second shot in a month, along with blood draws and monitoring over the next 13 months.
Their mother, Tristen Sweeten, said both boys were eager to participate.
“We have talked to them in-depth about the vaccine trial,” she said. “They know about the side effects, they know about the risk versus the benefits.”
The trial they’re in has 7,000 participants nationwide and all the volunteers are under the age of 16.
“These guys are heroes,” Velocity Clinical Research V.P. of business development Craig Koch said. “For every student we get, it’s going to happen so much quicker. We are going to get back to some sort of normalcy so much quicker.”
Officials said roughly 75% of participants in the trial are receiving an active vaccine, while the remaining quarter received a placebo.
In fact, Velocity Clinical Research is still looking for additional volunteers.
If your child is interested in participating, more information can be found at velocityclinical.com on the Salt Lake City site.
COVID-19 coronaviruses transmitted from person to person. It is a virus that is similar to the common cold and the flu. So, to prevent it from spreading:
Utah’s Coronavirus Information
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Utah Coronavirus Information Line – 1-800-456-7707
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Commonly asked questions, World Health Organization