Melissa’s Coronavirus Vaccine Journey
The First Participant in the World and the First NYC Participant to Help Launch the International Trial
If not us, who?
And if not now, when?
On May 4, 2020, Melissa became the first in the world and the first New Yorker to be vaccinated in the United States in the double blind Pfizer & BioNTech coronavirus vaccine study at NYU Langone.
On January 29, 2021, Melissa was unblinded from the study and was given confirmation of her vaccinated status.
In March 2021, Melissa continued her journey and enrolled in the booster vaccine trial.
In May 2022, Melissa received her second booster.
The Vaccine Center at NYU Langone in Manhattan led by Dr. Mark Mulligan helped launch the international clinical trial of with over 46,000 voluntary participants.
What has been her biggest side effect?
She is amazed how full her heart feels. Melissa is grateful and humbled to have had the opportunity to bring hope to the world.
“Yes. That’s what you said when the world needed it most.
Together with tens of thousands of volunteers around the world, your courage became something greater than all of us. It became hope. Thank you.
Your participation in the COVID-19 vaccine clinical trial has changed the world. With your courage, science will win.”
- NYU Langone Vaccine Center and Pfizer
❤️ 44 thousand participants
❤️ 153 research sites
❤️ 6 countries
MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS:
NYU Langone
Wall Street Journal
CNN
NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt
The Today Show
NY Yoga + Life magazine
Awakening podcast
NYU Vaccine Center
NYU Vaccine Center’s NewsLetter
Melissa reflects on her journey as the first person in the world to participate in the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine clinical trial.
May 4, 2020
Watch Melissa at Minute 00:55
“This is a no-brainer for me because it seems like I could qualify, and we live so close. I live within walking distance so I figured it wouldn’t be too hard to get here. I could just walk and just be helpful to humanity at this time. It’s just unprecendented.”
Wall Street Journal, May 6, 2020
Coronavirus Vaccine Enters Human Testing in U.S.
by Jared S. Hopkins
“Melissa Honkanen, 42 years old, of New York City, enrolled in the study after hearing about it from her husband, a pediatrician at NYU Langone, because she wanted to be helpful.
‘It’s really hard to see all of this happening,’ said Ms. Honkanen, a yoga instructor. “We’re in a world where we can’t hug each other or be social and active.”
New York Yoga + Life Magazine, August 2020
I Hate Getting Shots: A Yogi’s Journey in a COVID-19 Vaccine Study
by Melissa Honkanen
“I hope a COVID-19 mRNA vaccine can be the next step that brings our world to a better, brighter, new “normal”.
New York Yoga + Life Magazine, January 2021
Still Kicking: 8 Months After My Coronavirus Vaccine
by Melissa Honkanen
“My biggest side effect is how full my heart feels from seeing so much hope and relief across the world.”
May 6, 2020
Watch Melissa at minute 00:23
“So many people are being effected by this pandemic, and I figured it would be a great thing to do to help during an unprecedented time.”
May 6, 2020
Watch Melissa at minute 00:33
“Among the first twelve healthy Americans to get the injection, yoga instructor, Melissa Honkanen, learned of the need for volunteers from her husband, a doctor at NYU.”
May 8, 2020
Watch Melissa at MINUTE 02:18
Melissa Honkanen has just been injected with an experimental vaccine against COVID-19. She’s a human study subject in one of the most ambitious and important medical endeavors ever.
“I want to be able to help people, and not have people be dying alone.”
November 9, 2020
Listen at 02:57
“I feel good. I had some side effects after the second dosage. I felt a little bit achy. My fever was a little bit elevated so I took a Tylenol and felt better.”
July 3, 2020, The Today Show, (minute 01:00)
“Yoga instructor, Melissa Honkanen, was one of the first healthy volunteers to get the injection.”
The Today Show, (minute 02:06)
"The only time I really felt a little out of it was just one day after the second vaccine. And at that time, I just took a Tylenol and felt better.”
LISTEN TO MELISSA’S NOVEMBER 2020 INTERVIEW
Crystal Talk, Dr. Jennifer Rhodes
“Melissa volunteered to participate in a very large research trial in Manhattan at a major medical center, and she talks about her experiences with the vaccine, and her experiences talking to the media and press about it.”
Thank you
I’m so humbled and grateful to have participated in this vaccine clinical trial.
Thank you Pfizer.
Thank you BioNTech.
Thank you to the many unsung heroes.
My soul honors your soul.
Thank you for being on this journey with me, the supporters and the naysayers.
Stay safe.
Consult your primary care physician to learn what is best for you.