Open in app Sign up Sign in Write Sign up Sign in ![\\"\\"](\\" # FALSE: Reports that the first COVID-19 trial vaccine recipient has died are untrue ## _The first recipient, Dr Elisa Granato, was interviewed by the BBC after reports of her death first emerged_ ![\\"PesaCheck\\"](\\" ![\\"PesaCheck\\"](\\" PesaCheck · Follow Published in PesaCheck · 4 min read · Apr 29, 2020 \-- Listen Share ![\\"\\"](\\" A Facebook post claiming that one of the first recipients of a trial COVID-19 vaccine died is FALSE. ![\\"\\"](\\" The post shows a photo of Dr Elisa Granato, the first recipient of a trial vaccine for COVID-19 developed by scientists at Oxford University and IRBM Science Park in the United Kingdom, and claims that she died two days after receiving her dose. The University of Oxford began screening healthy volunteers for its COVID-19 vaccine, dubbed ChAdOx1, on March 27 and administered the first dose on April 23. On April 23, the Italian doctor became one of the first two people in Europe to take part in voluntary testing of a coronavirus vaccine. Dr Granato spoke to BBC medical correspondent Fergus Walsh on April 26, dismissing rumours about her death. “I am having a cup of tea, three days after I got the vaccine and I am having a nice Sunday and I hope everyone in the world has too,” Dr Granato said. The United Kingdom’s Department of Health and Social Care also dismissed reports of Dr Granato’s death, saying they were completely untrue. Responding to rumours and false reports around the vaccine trial, Oxford University issued a statement urging people not to give the claims any credibility, adding that official updates on the trials would be published on its website. PesaCheck has looked into a claim that the first volunteer for COVID-19 vaccine testing has died and finds it to be FALSE. This post is part of an ongoing series of PesaCheck fact-checks examining content marked as _potential misinformation_ on Facebook and other social media platforms. By partnering with Facebook and similar social media platforms, third-party fact-checking organisations like PesaCheck are helping to sort fact from fiction. We do this by giving the public deeper insight and context to posts they see in their social media feeds. Have you spotted what you think is fake news or false information on Facebook? Here’s how you can report. And, here’s more information on PesaCheck’s methodology for fact-checking questionable content. ![\\"\\"](\\" This fact-check was written by Fact-Checker _Simon Muli_ __ and edited by PesaCheck Deputy Editor _Enock Nyariki_. The article was approved for publication by PesaCheck Managing Editor _Eric Mugendi_. ![\\"\\"](\\" PesaCheck is East Africa’s first public finance fact-checking initiative. It was co-founded by _Catherine Gicheru_ and _Justin Arenstein_, and is being incubated by the continent’s largest civic technology and data journalism accelerator: _Code for Africa_. It seeks to help the public separate fact from fiction in public pronouncements about the numbers that shape our world, with a special emphasis on pronouncements about public finances that shape government’s delivery of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) public services, such as healthcare, rural development and access to water/sanitation. _PesaCheck_also tests the accuracy of media reportage. To find out more about the project, visit ___pesacheck.org_ _._ ![\\"\\"](\\" Follow Us ![\\"\\"](\\" Like Us ![\\"\\"](\\" Email Us PesaCheck is a joint initiative of _Code for Africa_, through its _innovateAFRICA fund_, with additional funding support from the _International Budget Partnership (Kenya)_ and _Twaweza_, in partnership with a coalition of local media organisations, and the _International Center for Journalists (ICFJ)_. ![](\\" ## Sign up to discover human stories that deepen your understanding of the world. ## Free Distraction-free reading. No ads. Organize your knowledge with lists and highlights. Tell your story. Find your audience. Sign up for free ## Membership Read member-only stories Support writers you read most Earn money for your writing Listen to audio narrations Read offline with the Medium app Try for $5/month Kenya Covid-19 Vaccines \-- \-- ![\\"PesaCheck\\"](\\" ![\\"PesaCheck\\"](\\" Follow ## Written by PesaCheck 5.8K Followers ·Editor for PesaCheck Are they lying? Kenya’s 1st fact-checking initiative verifies statements by public figures. A @Code4Kenya and @IBP_Kenya initiative, supported by @Code4Africa. Follow Help Status About Careers Press Blog Privacy Terms Text to speech Teams
First volunteer for Covid19 vaccine died