KNOX COUNTY – Christopher Cordle was born and raised in Knox County and went on to earn a Ph.D. in immunology from Johns Hopkins University.
Now retired after 38 years at Ross/Abott Labs in Columbus and living in Apple Valley, he knows an effective vaccine when he sees one. And he likes what sees in the newly-released COVID-19 vaccines.
“I have studied the virus, I know about its structure,” Cordle told the Mount Vernon News. “The clinical data is compelling; both vaccines are very safe and effective. I believe in the COVID vaccine. It’s a godsend.”
He has volunteered to help Julie Miller, director of Knox Public Heath, spread the word on the vaccine to encourage Knox residents to take it when it becomes available to the public.
“I will help support her any way I can with the information I have,” Cordle said.
He has not only deep scientific knowledge but also deep roots in Knox County.
Cordle grew up in Centerburg, graduating from Centerburg High School in 1965. From there he went to Otterbein College in Westerville, studying chemistry and math, and then to Johns Hopkins. He then spent a year as a research associate professor at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida.
In 1975, he came home to the family businesses, Centerburg Feed and Grain and the Croton Elevator.
“I went from an academic career to as basic a farm economy as you get,” Cordle said. “It was really good for me because I learned a lot about business, what it means to make a payroll, how dairy farmers think, how to drive an 18-wheeler.”
He and his family lived in his grandmother’s house in Centerburg.
“My son grew up in the same house as his grandmother,” Cordle said.
But he missed research, and in 1980 he was hired by Ross Labs, which was starting an immunology program. During his time at Ross/Abbott, he worked on several viral vaccines and researched food allergies.
When Pfizer and Moderna presented their data on their COVID-19 vaccines to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Cordle studied the documents closely and was very impressed.
“This is for real,” he said. “This really works. The safety profile is extraordinary. The antibody responses are clearly there. This vaccine is going to work.”
Cordle began sharing his enthusiasm with friends and colleagues around the county, including Miller at Knox Public Health.
“I’m going to get the vaccine as soon as I can,” he said. “It’s extremely safe and truly life-saving."
There may be some side effects, he added.
"Your shoulder may get sore, you may get a headache or a low-grade fever," Cordle said. "But the side effects will only last a couple of days; and after that, you’re not going to die from this disease. That is my message.”
