A University of Oxford doctor became one of the first humans in Europe to receive a dose of a potential Covid-19 vaccine
A doctor who was the first woman in Europe to receive a dose of a potential Covid-19 vaccine has said she is ‘doing fine’ after rumors started that she died.
Dr Elisa Granato was one of two people to be injected on Thursday as human trials got underway at the University of Oxford, just three months after studies began.
The microbiologist and cancer researcher Edward O’Neill were both injected in the hope of finding a vaccine.
But rumors began circulating earlier today (April 26) that efforts had been hit by a tragic set back, reports The Mirror.
Dr Granato told the BBC after being injected on her 32nd birthday: “I’m a scientist, so I wanted to try to support the scientific process wherever I can.
“Since I don’t study viruses, I felt a bit useless these days, so I felt like this is a very easy way for me to support the cause.”
However, an online article, soon debunked as fake news, claimed the zoology expert had died hours after having the injection after experiencing complications.
It falsely claimed she had pre-existing medical conditions that had not been disclosed to doctors carrying out the tests and that four others were “battling complications”.
A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care later tweeted: “News circulating on social media that the first volunteer in a UK cor
The spread of the article forced Dr Granato herself to take to Twitter to inform her 6,000 followers she was very much alive.
She said: “Nothing like waking up to a fake article on your death… I’m doing fine everyone. Please don’t share the article in question, we don’t want to give them attention / clicks. Have a cute cat instead!”
Mirror Online has approached Dr Granato for a comment.
coronavirus vaccine trial has died is completely untrue.”
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