COVID-19: ‘Vaccine Not Delayed To Hurt Or Help Any Politician’, Says Nigerian-Born Doctor Leading Pfizer Research

Onyema Ogbuagu, a Nigerian-born researcher and medical doctor, says the development of COVID-19 vaccine is not shrouded in nefarious motive.

Ogbuaju said this in reaction to conspiracy theories making the rounds regarding research for COVID-19 vaccine.

Ogbuagu, an associate professor of medicine at Yale University, is one of the brains behind the research for a COVID-19 vaccine at Pfizer in the United States.

Pfizer and BioNTech had announced that the first vaccine they developed against COVID-19 could prevent more than 90 percent of people from getting infected.

The global pharmaceutical firm was quoted as saying it would be able to supply 50 million doses by the end of 2020, and around 1.3 billion by the end of 2021.

Speaking on some misconceptions about the vaccine, on Sunday, Ogbuagu says he’s not part of any conspiracy in development of the vaccine.

He cautioned that dissemination of misinformation about the pandemic may lead to loss of lives.

“Let’s dispel some rumors especially because misinformation about COVID-19 may and can cost lives. Enough already!” Ogbuagu said.

“Vaccine efficacy results are real. They were not delayed to hurt or help any politician. The Pfizer vaccine doesn’t contain the SARS CoV-2 virus or parts of it!

Also Read: Pfizer, BioNTech Claim Experimental COVID-19 Vaccine Shows 95% Effectiveness

“No nefarious or sinister plan to inject people with a labeling code. The mRNA vaccine is not integrated into recipients genome. No fetal tissue is used for the mRNA vaccine. And No!…researchers such as myself are not part of any conspiracies. We just want to apply science to improve patient outcomes and even better, to prevent disease.

“We can only work our way out of this pandemic through effective vaccines especially because it is difficult to achieve optimal mask wearing and physical distancing to end the pandemic. Think of how vaccines have made deadly diseases either go away (small pox) or become relatively rare (such as measles).

“When the “COVID” vaccine becomes available, lets roll up our sleeves and lets end this thing! Another challenge would be equitable distribution of vaccines.

“High vs. low/middle income countries, and even in developed nations, to ensure that vulnerable and underserved populations, disproportionally affected by the pandemic are proportionally reached! Now is time for strategic distribution plans at global, national and community level.”