Two Keralites proud to be among the first volunteers

It is been nearly a week since Aadarsh P. Ratheesh from Kerala took the first shot of the inactivated Covid-19 vaccine trial at the Adnec centre in Abu Dhabi. Among the first 1,000 volunteers who were administered the vaccine shot in the UAE, he says he is feeling absolutely healthy and grateful to be part of history in the making.

Ratheesh, 32, a cost engineer at a semi-government organisation in Abu Dhabi, who lives in Dubai, registered as a volunteer soon after the trials were announced. He then got a call from asking him to undergo a blood test, which included a complete blood profile and Covid-19 test. After the tests were clear, Ratheesh was called for the first shot of the vaccine on July 28.

Nervousness caused his blood pressure to spike. “It took me more than an hour to get the shot. After my blood pressure stabilised, they took a blood sample first to measure the antibodies prior to the vaccine before administering the vaccine,” said Ratheesh who has to go in for the next dose on August 18.

He was given a vaccine diary. “A doctor called the day after the vaccine and seven days later on August 3. I have had no symptoms whatsoever,” Ratheesh said.

Initial rejection didn’t put him off

Raju Kailasam, a 42-year-old PRO and social worker in Sharjah, called up the Adnec centre and drive to Abu Dhabi for the shot. However, his blood pressure was very high and he was rejected. Not one to give up, he returned after a few days and got his first shot of the vaccine on August 2. “I have had absolutely no symptoms and am feeling totally fine,” Kailasam said.

He has been religiously maintaing his vaccine diary and has got a message from Adnec that his second shot is scheduled for August 16 and the third one for August 21.

“I was treated with so much respect and they actually reimbursed me for food and petrol for my trip from Sharjah,” said the father of two, whose family lives in Kerala.