Factcheck: Did the first volunteer in the Oxford COVID-19 vaccine trial die?

FURTHER INFORMATION

Several posts on social media make the claim that the first volunteer in the Oxford Vaccine Group’s COVID-19 vaccine trial, microbiologist Dr Elisa Granato, has died.

This is false. Dr Granato received the trial vaccine on Thursday 23 April 2020, and on Sunday 26 April 2020 spoke with BBC News medical correspondent, Fergus Walsh, telling him she feels ‘absolutely fine’ and had just attended her first follow-up appointment at the vaccine centre.

Professor Andrew Pollard, head of the Oxford Vaccine Group, said “This sort of fake news could damage our ability to tackle a pandemic. We can’t let that happen.”

SOURCE

Dr Elisa Granato and Professor Andrew Pollard in BBC News ‘Vaccine volunteer very much alive – despite reports’ by Fergus Walsh

Origins of Claim

FULL TEXT OF CLAIM

“First volunteer in UK coronavirus vaccine trial has died”