CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Pfizer clinical vaccine trial for children is happening, in part, right here in the Coastal Bend.
Pfizer has started a trial involving a coronavirus vaccine for kids younger than 12 years old. The trial includes facilities in 26 states, and internationally in Finland, Poland and Spain.
Children in the trial will not know if they have received the vaccine of a placebo for six months. If given the placebo, the child will get their doses of the vaccine when the clinical trial ends.
According to Driscoll, they are one of 40 hospitals nationwide to participate in the trial. Driscoll is the only clinical trial site for South Texas.
10-year-old Sophia Gutierrez of Odem was the first participant at Driscoll on Monday undergoing the necessary labwork and receiving her first shot.
“I really wanted to get vaccinated so I could see my grandmother and other family members,” Gutierrez said.
The clinical trial is open for children six months to 11 years. Driscoll Children’s Hospital and Texas A&M University’s Global Institute for Hispanic Heath are conducting the trial, but participants do not have to be Hispanic or Driscoll patients.
“The Global Institute for Hispanic Health strives to bring important clinical studies to our region," Jaime Fergie, MD, Director of Infectious Diseases at Driscoll Children’s Hospital and Medical Director of Driscoll’s and Texas A&M University’s Global Institute for Hispanic Heath said. "We are happy to be able to offer this COVID-19 trial to the children of South Texas."