FORMER Health Minister Jim Wells said he "would pay if necessary" to be given a vaccine which he is asking the British government to release in Northern Ireland.
He has rejected accusations that he is an "anit-vaxxer" after declining to get the versions currently available, saying he only has one specific issue with the Pfizer and Astra-Zeneca vaccines.
Despite having approval from the Vatican for use, Mr Wells said as an anti-abortion campaigner he does not want to receive a vaccine which he claims was tested on cells originally derived from aborted foetuses.
West Belfast MLA Gerry Carroll last night said elected representatives should be promoting the benefits of vaccines, rather than relying on misinformation.
Mr Wells said: "There is a vaccine that has been tested and an order put for 50 million doses that is not tested on the cells of aborted foetuses.
"As someone who is very, very pro-life, I can't in all conscience take the vaccines they are giving now. My own view is that I don't want to benefit of anything at all concerned with the vaccines by Astra-Zeneca and Pfizer. They were tested on the cells of a foetus aborted in 1960."
The Catholic Church has said that in the absence of safe vaccines made from other sources, "it is morally acceptable to receive Covid-19 vaccines that have used cell lines from aborted foetuses in their research and production process".
Mr Wells said he was "surprised" by this move and is calling for the government to allow Covaxin to be given in Northern Ireland.
He said it is a wholly synthetic vaccine.
It was developed by Indian pharmaceutical company Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research to try and innoculate the sub-continent against Covid-19 which is wreaking devastation there.
Doctors say it may take two years to vaccinate the entire population, with the drug being administered to people over 60, those over 45 with comorbidities and health workers.
Mr Wells, whose wife Grace suffered devastating strokes in 2015 and is in a nursing home, said those in his family who are vulnerable "have had their vaccines".
"I don't smoke, don't drink, I'm a vegetarian, I'm not chasing women. I don't regard myself as remotely vulnerable. My father went on until he was 96 - the Wellses die of boredom."
But he said he would "break down the door" to get the CureVac* vaccine.
"I'd be quite happy to pay for it if that's the problem."
Mr Wells said he had submitted a written assembly question but to date there had been no response.*
The department said last night it had "no record of this letter being received yet", while a member of Stormont's health committee said Mr Wells' claim to reject currently offered vaccines for reasons of "conscience" was "highly irresponsible".
Gerry Carroll said: "Unfortunately the virus is once again spreading through communities and putting people in hospital at a higher rate. Elected reps should be promoting the benefits of, and solidarity involved in getting your vaccine, rather than relying on misinformation or flatly inaccurate points."
*Vaccine name Covaxin changed to CureVac
**contacted the Department of Health changed to submitted a written assembly question
