WASHINGTON — Dr. Anthony Fauci says he’s sticking with his projection that a safe and effective coronavirus vaccine may be ready in early 2021. He says it’s possible it could be sooner, but “unlikely.”
The White House adviser on the coronavirus told “CBS This Morning “the more likely scenario is that we will know by the end of this calendar year and hopefully we’ll be able to start vaccinations in earnest as we begin early 2021.”
Fauci says it’s routine for late-stage vaccine studies to be put on hold because of side effects. A study by AstraZeneca of a potential coronavirus vaccine was recently paused for safety reasons after an illness from a shot in a recipient in Britain.
He says it’s “really one of the safety valves that you have on clinical trials such as this.”
Fauci adds people should remain vigilant about wearing masks, keeping physical distance and avoiding crowds to help prevent future surges.
The United States leads the world in coronavirus cases with 6.3 million and nearly 190,000 deaths.
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HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE VIRUS OUTBREAK
— India adds another 89,706 coronavirus cases to daily tally
— AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine study paused after one illness
— Pope Francis calls health of all a ‘common good’
— COVID-19 vaccine latest flashpoint in White House campaign. Trump repeatedly says a vaccine could be available before the election.
— The British government tries to tighten its grip on the coronavirus in England, banning gatherings of more than six people and l aunching a new public information campaign.
— As Indonesia cases soar, medical workers bear the burden, leading to concerns about the long-term impact on the nation’s fragile healthcare system.
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Follow AP’s pandemic coverage at http://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak
