London, Nov. 11, 2020 (AltAfrica)-A volunteer taking part in the breakthrough Pfizer coronavirus vaccine trial has likened the side-effects of the jab to a ‘severe hangover’.

Data from the trial run by the pharmaceutical giant and partner BioNTech suggested the jab was more than 90% effective in preventing a Covid-19 infection.

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More than 43,500 people across six countries have taken part in the trial, which has been hailed as a scientific breakthrough in the fight against the pandemic.

Glenn Deshields, 44, from Austin, Texas, is confident he did not receive a placebo after suffering with side-effects that he likened to a hangover

The lobbyist, who said he was ‘very excited’ by the trial data, said he later received an antibody test through his doctor which came back positive.

Speaking of hearing the positive news about the vaccine, Mr Deshields said: ‘My grandfather, one of his first memories was of the bells ringing when World War I ended.

‘It was a horrific war and horrible things happened and people were just happy it was over with.

‘In my mind I felt the same way… I kind of felt it was something like that. Thank god, it’s going to be over at some point.’

Volunteer Carrie, 45, from Missouri, received her first shot back in September and her second last month.

She said she suffered with a headache, fever and aches all over her body after her first shot and the symptoms became more severe after the second

Carrie, who works in publishing, felt signing up for the trial was a ‘civic duty’ and said Monday’s positive news left her feeling ‘very proud’.

She said: ‘There are so many people who have had it and suffered. ‘The thought that we could do something to stop people from suffering from this, from losing family members, that we could get rid of it and get back to some sort of normal in our lives – that’s a driving factor for this for me. ‘I don’t want anyone else to be sick.’

Meanwhile, Bryan, an engineer from Rome, Georgia, believes he was given the placebo as he felt no immune response. And after receiving his two shots, he contracted coronavirus shortly after his daughter tested positive last month. His whole family ultimately caught it but have all recovered.

Bryan, 42, said taking part in the trial was the ‘least’ he could do as he criticised President Donald Trump’s ‘bungled’ response to the pandemic as ‘disheartening’.

‘I’m embarrassed by how the US president has handled the pandemic,’ said the volunteer who voted for President-elect Joe Biden. ‘

But I’m hopeful now because in addition to the good news with the Pfizer vaccine, we have a new president-elect and I’m sure he won’t ignore scientists, he won’t downplay the virus, he won’t make fun of people wearing masks – so combined I think it’ll save a lot of lives.’