They may ask me later to participate in a booster trial of the vaccine. Hopefully that one won't require an inpatient stay.
I am now free to resume blood donations, though I will probably wait to start doing that until after Passover when things are less hectic and I've had some time to settle into my new job.
🧵2/3
#PanCholLiveToot

On the way out of Brigham and Women's Hospital after the appointment, I took a moment to reflect in the empty Bornstein Family Amphitheater. I don't know why, but I find it immensely calming to walk into a dark, empty lecture hall, turn on the lights, and just sit and ponder for a few minutes.
If you've never participated in a clinical trial before, please consider it. I've written about it on my blog if you're curious: https://blog.kamens.us/2023/03/27/the-easiest-way-in-the-world-to-save-lives-has-been-inside-you-all-along/ .
🧵3/3
#PanCholLiveToot

Followup about the #PanChol clinical trial I participated in back in April: the study was just unblinded, so I now know that I was given the vaccine, not a placebo.
They want me to participate in a followup booster study, which will again involve an inpatient hospital stay albeit hopefully a shorter one. I told them I couldn't commit to that right now—feeling rather overwhelmed in general at the moment—but they should check back in September and things might be better then.
#PanCholLiveToot

They hope that the inpatient stay for the booster trial will be shorter because if the vaccine worked as intended then I now have immunity which means the booster won't be able to gain a foothold hold in my body. If so, then I'll test negative for the attenuated bacteria in the vaccine on the third day and they'll be able to let me go home.
Otherwise, if I test positive for the bacteria, they'll have to put me on antibiotics for 48 hours before they can let me go home.
#PanCholLiveToot

@jik I’ve been in a few medical studies and an RSV vaccine trial. I want to support science, but I’m not a scientist, so I feel like the best way I can support science is to participate in studies and trials.