There could be enough coronavirus vaccine doses for every American as early as March of 2021.
CNBC reports Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar made the projection on Thursday during a keynote speech at the Goldman Sachs Healthcare virtual event on the coronavirus.
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“We project having enough for every American who wants a vaccine by March to April 2021,” Azar said Thursday according to CNBC.
Azar said the Trump administration’s Operation Warp Speed initiative will produce up to 100 million doses of a COVID-19 vaccine before the year is out for vulnerable populations.
The U.S. is currently manufacturing doses for all six vaccine candidates supported by Operation Warp Speed, including those developed by Moderna, Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson, which are all currently in late-stage clinical trials. The U.S. is also securing needles, syringes, bottles and other immunization supplies.
President Trump has repeatedly said a vaccine could be authorized as early as October, and last month projected that there would be enough coronavirus doses for every American by April. Other health experts, including Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Robert Redfield, have estimated a vaccine likely wouldn’t be ready until November or December.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Tuesday published new safety standards for vaccines that require drug makers to follow trial participants for at least two months to rule out safety issues, making it unlikely a vaccine will be approved before Election Day.
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