Pharmaceutical companies race to develop COVID-19 vaccine, Minnesotans step forward to help test it

Right now there are close to a dozen COVID-19 vaccines currently in phase three trials. One of those trials includes volunteers from Minnesota.

Greg Kjos of St. Louis Park is volunteering for AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine trial.

"I believe in doctors, I believe in science," Kjos said.

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"It’s been hard to watch businesses shut down, and see people who can’t visit parents in nursing homes,"he said.

He enrolled locally through HealthPartners, and is one of at least 1,500 Minnesotans who will help test the vaccine. Kjos got his first shot Monday and is scheduled to get another one in December. He doesn’t know if he received the vaccine or the placebo.

Kjos says he is not nervous about any potential side effects, but instead is hopeful of what may come from the study.

"If volunteering helps things get back to normal, I’m pretty happy to do that," he said.

HealthPartners is still enrolling more participants. For more information, click here.