Pence breaks silence to take credit for Pfizer vaccine - and drugs company immediately denies Trump involved
Mike Pence has broken his post-election silence to trumpet the Trump administration’s backing of a new coronavirus vaccine - only for the company to immediately point out that their vaccine had nothing to do with the government.
Pfizer announced on Monday morning that their Covid-19 vaccine was 90 per cent effective, in early trials.
"HUGE NEWS: Thanks to the public-private partnership forged by President @realDonaldTrump, @pfizer announced its Coronavirus Vaccine trial is EFFECTIVE, preventing infection in 90% of its volunteers," tweeted Mr Pence.
HUGE NEWS: Thanks to the public-private partnership forged by President @realDonaldTrump, @pfizer announced its Coronavirus Vaccine trial is EFFECTIVE, preventing infection in 90% of its volunteers.
— Mike Pence (@Mike_Pence) November 9, 2020
But the New York-based company was quick with a clarification.
Dr Kathrin Jansen, Pfizer’s head of vaccine development, told the New York Times: “We were never part of the Warp Speed ... We have never taken any money from the U.S. government, or from anyone.”
Operation Warp Speed is a $12 billion government programme, begun in May, to get a vaccine to 300 million Americans.
