WDIV salutes a behind-the-camera hero in its newsroom who volunteered for a brave act of public service.
"Local 4 assignment editor Matt Triplett said he wanted to do everything he could to help end the pandemic and get us back to a more normal life. ... While most of the world has watched and waited for a vaccine, Triplett decided to help make it happen," the station posts.
Matt Triplett: "This is just the right thing to do." (Photo: Facebook)
The 33-year-old St. Clair Shores resident tells why he volunteered for a clinical trial of Pfizer's Covid vaccine:
"I know six people that have died from [coronavirus]. Another six or seven I know have gotten sick from it. ...
"I am tired of watching this virus give us all one big gut punch every day. I talked to several people I trust and this is just the right thing to do.
"Day one went pretty good. A little nose swab, which really doesn’t hurt. A little uncomfortable, but doesn’t hurt. I’ll be back in about two to three weeks to get another dose of whatever they gave me and I think everything is going to be fine."
Triplett doesn’t know if he got the vaccine or a placebo. The drugmaker, which said Wednesday the vaccine is 95-percent effective, will monitor volunteers for two years.
It enrolled 43,661 participants in the Phase 3 trial, which began July 27.
