VIDEO: As companies race to find a vaccine for COVID-19, seven Tubac firefighters are volunteering their time and bodies to test one out.
Reyver Fontes, another one of the firefighters in this trial, is still just a probationary firefighter for the Tubac Fire District.
He said he wanted to step up because he worries about bringing the virus back to his fellow firefighters and to his family.
He’s taking part in this trial so that doesn’t happen.
Fontes said he was nervous the first time he got his shot, but loves his job and knows this is important.
These volunteers are not getting a strain of COVID-19 injected. This vaccine injects manufactured antibodies into the body in hopes they will be able to fight off the virus in the future.
“I felt a responsibility to do everything I can on my end. It’s an experimental procedure and there are some risks associated with it, but given the extreme circumstances right now, I think it was well worth the risk,” Fontes said.