“I wanted to send signs to those who oppose vaccination”

Tübingen’s Mayor Boris Palmer is taking part in the Curevac vaccine study as a test subject. In the interview he explains what motivated him to do so and how he feels after the vaccination.

The Tübingen pharmaceutical company Curevac has to fight that Virus received approval for a clinical trial. According to the Institute for Tropical Medicine, there are currently where the Test study is carried out, about 180 subjects. One of them is Boris Palmer, prominent Green politician and Lord Mayor of Tübingen.

t-online.de: Mr. Palmer, how did you become a test subject of the Curevac vaccine study?

Boris Palmer: This is done at the Tübingen Tropical Institute. Thankfully we both have in town: the company, the vaccine (Editor’s note: the pharmaceutical company Curevac), and the university that can test the vaccine. The University’s Tropical Institute looked for test subjects via newspaper advertisements. Until 40 years there was enough. But in my age group, 40 to 60 years old, many have failed the health exam. I had a check-up, luckily I was fit enough and was allowed to take part.

What motivated you to take part in the study?

I watch with concern how those who oppose the vaccine are getting louder and more angry in the debate. Quite often they wrote reproachfully on my Facebook page “Then get vaccinated first!”. They accused me of double standards, that I used to be the people vaccination calls, but wouldn’t do it myself. I want to make it clear to you that I am convinced that the vaccine will be the solution to our corona problems. I wanted to send this symbol to those who oppose vaccination. And I like to get vaccinated first and would be happy to be among the first to have vaccination protection.

What conditions must a person meet in order to participate in the vaccine study?

You just have to be healthy. The cardiovascular system has to be right, you shouldn’t have any allergies. Fortunately, I have nothing, no previous illnesses, and that’s why it worked.

How are you currently with the injected vaccine?

I don’t feel any change. I notice zero. I’m fine I don’t even have any redness at the injection site.

Is this a one-time vaccination?

It is vaccinated twice. There’s a refresher in four weeks.

What happens if there are side effects? How will the study be medically monitored?

You stay in the institute for the first four hours after the vaccination. There you are permanently monitored so that you can deal with direct reactions immediately. After that there are regular visits and phone calls. Today at 12 o’clock they called me how I am. And tomorrow it will be the same again. In addition, blood is drawn regularly, for example in order to develop antibodies and T cells to be able to follow closely. The whole thing takes a total of 13 months.

Do you think that by participating in the corona vaccination study you can convince your opponents?

Only with the die-hard conspiracy theorists do you get stuck. They wrote to me that they don’t believe that anyway. I would lie that vaccination was invented. The government bought me and they would never try that on a “celebrity”. Unfortunately, hops and malt are lost there. I still rely on the power of arguments. I am pleased that many skeptics write on Facebook that they respect my having the vaccine tested on myself.

Thank you for the interview, Mr. Palmer.

–