HOUSTON – Bill King is providing a first-hand account as he participates in AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine trial. King is a local businessman, former Kemah Mayor and two-time Houston mayoral candidate.
King received his first vaccination on Monday.
“I had some chills but I never recorded any fever,” said King in the announcement on Twitter this week.
He received his first shot Monday and is set to receive his second shot on December 21.
In his tweet, King explained how he had two days of moderate fatigue, leading him to believe he got the vaccine and not the saline placebo.
“The second day I slept during the day for about four or five hours which is highly unusual for me. Some mild body aches, not anything severe, (a) little bit of a headache every once and a while,” King said.
AstraZeneca said its vaccine is showing promise in older adults. King, who turns 70 next year and is in good health, said that is part of the reason why he volunteered.
“I’m frankly glad I was in the AstraZeneca because it’s really important to have (a) very affordable, easy to distribute vaccine that we can get out to the entire world,” King said.
King said he believes AstraZeneca’s Covid vaccine will be easier to distribute because it doesn’t require super cold storage.
“This is going to kind of be the working man’s vaccine. I’m frankly glad I was in the AstraZeneca because it’s really important for us to have that very affordable easy to distribute vaccine that we can get out to the entire world,” King said.
King said he was told the bulk of trial runs for three months. Once it’s finished, researchers will monitor him for another two years.
“This is a way to turbocharge us getting to herd immunity and that’s the only way the pandemic ends,” King said.
