Fayetteville healthcare worker participates in Moderna COVID-19 vaccine clinical trial

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WTVD) -- The Carolina Institute for Clinical Research has partnered with Moderna use cutting edge technology to conduct COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials in Fayetteville.

Ginny Capiot is one of many who have volunteered to participate in the Moderna Phase 3 clinical trial. Friday was her first appointment where doctors injected her with either the COVID-19 vaccine or a placebo.

None of the participants know which they've been injected with to avoid skewing the results.

"As a healthcare worker who's also diabetic, it puts me at risk for being sicker if I do happen to contract COVID-19," said Ginny Capiot. "We sat around for a while. They took your vitals again and just kind of monitored your reaction before you are allowed to go home."

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Participants will be monitored for two years. They will have occasional virtual and in-person visits. It's important they fill out their e-diary each night which helps them keep track of their body's reaction and temperature.

"For 28 months at follow-up months, we will draw participants' blood. We will do blood tests to see how much of an immune response they have. The immune response means how much can your body fight the virus if it was to see it," said Dr. Judith Borger with the Carolina Institute for Clinical Research.

Researchers are still looking for volunteers and they are targeting patients most at risk like minorities, those with chronic medical conditions and essential workers. According to Borger, participants are compensated for their time as researchers look at how effective and safe the vaccine is.

"A lot of people are going to be helped by this. It's a chance to hopefully move a cure forward," said Capiot.