PINELLAS COUNTY — A Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority bus driver is helping researchers by being a part of the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine trial.
“My experience has been there’s been no side effects. I’ve felt great,” said Robert Sandor, a PSTA bus driver.
He started the vaccine trial in January after his friend emailed him about it.
“I went through a phase where we had to do some blood work, we also had to do some physical training they checked my heart, my cardio and stuff and made sure I was physically fit,” said Sandor.
Sandor says he got 4 shots over period of a few months. He didn’t know if he had the placebo or the vaccine when he first started.
“So I had the first two shots then we waited a moment, then I took the next two shots… because I had the 4 shots, I definitely had the placebo and then I most definitely got the vaccine,” said Sandor.
He checked in with researchers once a month and now has to go in for a check up every 6 months for the next 2 years.
“This is something right now that’s needed a global scale and I’m doing the research and I’m taking my place in line for the history books,” said Sandor.
Although Sandor is 62 and has been eligible for months to get a vaccine that’s already received emergency authorization for the FDA, he wanted to be a part of this trial to give people another option if they didn’t want one of the other vaccines.
“Maybe that can be added to their arsenal to fight COVID-19… when it’s my turn to die I know deep down in my heart that I did something not only for the company but for my coworkers, for the community. I did something for mankind,” said Sandor.