Fauci promotes COVID-19 vaccine safety and efficacy among African Americans

In a bid to instil confidence among the African-American communities over the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccine, US top infectious disease expert Dr Anthony Fauci said that one of the major vaccine candidates has been worked on by an African- American woman.

In an interview with CNN, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAD) said that the vaccine which has shown “absolutely exquisite levels” of efficacy against the novel coronavirus was actually developed by his team’s Dr Barney Graham and Dr Kizzmekia Corbett. 

He was reportedly referring to the COVID-19 vaccine that will be released by Moderna. Corbett, who is also the lead scientist for the National Institute's of Health’s coronavirus vaccine research has reportedly said that people who have doubts regarding the safety of the vaccine have a right to ask questions. 

“The very vaccine that's one of the two that has absolutely exquisite levels -- 94 to 95 per cent efficacy against clinical disease and almost 100 per cent efficacy against a serious disease that is shown to be clearly safe -- that vaccine was actually developed in my institute's vaccine research centre by a team of scientists led by Dr Barney Graham and his close colleague, Dr Kizzmekia Corbett, or Kizzy Corbett," Fauci said.

“So, the first thing you might want to say to my African American brothers and sisters is that the vaccine that you're going to be taking was developed by an African American woman. And that is just a fact," he added.

Read - Kamala Harris, Anthony Fauci Among Top Mispronounced Names Of 2020; Check Out The List

Read -  Fauci, Kamala Among Famous Names On Mispronounced Words List

Fauci willing to take vaccine publicly

Fauci has previously expressed his willingness to take a COVID-19 vaccine publicly. The director of US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases has joined former US presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton in their public vaccination pledge to assure people that the doses can be trusted.  As per Newsweek report, Fauci has said he would be "more than happy" to take a COVID-19 vaccine dosage in front of the people and stressed that it will be safe if and when approved.

Read - Fauci Wants Biden Administration To Ensure Efficient Distribution Of COVID-19 Vaccines

Read - Most Notable Quotes 2020: Dr. Anthony Fauci, George Floyd, Justice Ginsburg Top The List

Image: AP