LINCOLN- Senator Tony Vargas of District 7 took to his social media to announce he is participating in a COVID-19 vaccine trial. Vargas lost his father to the virus earlier this year. He wants to make sure the vaccine is safe for everyone. The vaccine trials through Meridian Clinical Research are trying to recruit people of color.
“Sponsors for the FDA are mandating more diversity, which they haven’t in the past, They’ve promoted it, but not mandated it until now," said Beau Garland, Vice President of Recruitment at Meridian.
Researchers are testing 44 vaccines in clinical trials on humans and there are close to 100 preclinical vaccines that are being tested on animals. He has gotten attention from BBC News with a profile on his bill, LB667, to protect meat processing workers. The virus disproportionately affects people of color around the country, which gives reason for the trials recruiting high numbers of people of color.
Vargas received the vaccine on Monday and has not experienced any side effects.