A volunteer in UK trials for a Covid-19 vaccine has assured the world she’s still alive.
The article claims that microbiologist Dr Elisa Granato, who took part in the trial in Oxford on Thursday, had died following complications after taking the vaccine.
The government later said the article was “completely untrue”, and warned people about sharing unsubstantiated claims online.
Granato was one of two people to take part in the trial, and said she was excited to support the efforts by volunteering.
Following the article about her “death”, she tweeted about the news before making her Twitter account private. She wrote: “Nothing like waking up to a fake article on your death … I’m doing fine everyone.”
On Sunday afternoon, the Department of Health and Social Care tweeted: “News circulating on social media that the first volunteer in a UK coronavirus vaccine trial has died is completely untrue.
“Before sharing unsubstantiated claims online, use the Share checklist to help stop the spread of harmful content.”
A Covid-19 vaccine is considered the ultimate exit strategy from lockdown by many experts, and scientists across the world are racing to develop one that can be produced at scale.
The Oxford Vaccine Group hopes to have at least a million doses ready in September.
