Original story ran on WSMV Nashville News 4 here
Teen Encouraging Others to Join Vaccine Trial
NASHVILLE, TN (WSMV) – A local 16-year-old encourages others to participate in a COVID-19 teen vaccine trial.
The Novavax Vaccine will hold a trial that aims to see how effective it is in children ages 12 to 17.
Lipscomb University student 24-year-old Augtonia Coleman enrolled in the Pfizer Vaccine study. Coleman said she encouraged her 16-yeard-old brother AJ to participate in the Novavax Vaccine trial at Clinical Research Associates.
“He was like, Novavax? What’s Novavax? I was like, it’s over in The U.K. right now,” Augtonia Coleman said. “I was like I know; you’re going to be the reason why it’s coming here.”
The brother and sister urged others to take part in the studies.
“Many of my family members and friends that are people of color, they were like anti-vaccine,” Augtonia Coleman said. “I was like, you know what? I’ve got to take a chance.”
Coleman said she learned she received the placebo back in February but was offered the vaccine later. A move that has now changed some of her family members’ thoughts on vaccines.
“My mom is fully vaccinated now. My grandmother is considering it still,” Augtonia Coleman said.
As for AJ, he’s still blinded. The Novavax Vaccine could become the fourth vaccine in our arsenal against COVID-19 after showing strong protection in adults. For the 16-year-old Lipscomb student, he feels like he’s taking part in something for the greater good.
“My mother taught me that don’t be a regular person. Do something that somebody else doesn’t do,” AJ Coleman said. “It’s not about you it’s more about other people.”
Watch the video here.
Sign up for a clinical trial here.