Fauci Predicts the Safety and Efficacy of a Vaccine Will Be Known by December

Dr. Anthony Fauci is optimistic leading health experts will know the safety and efficacy of a COVID-19 vaccine by the end of the year.

Andrew Marr of BBC News mentioned President Donald Trump’s claim there will be a vaccine ready for Americans by the end of the year.

“I think we will know, yes. I believe he said that correctly. We will know whether a vaccine is safe and effective by the end of November, the beginning of December,” Fauci said.

He added, “The question is, once you have a safe and effective vaccine, or more than one, how can you get it to the people who need it as quickly as possible?”

Watch his remarks below:

"We will know whether a vaccine is safe and effective by the end of November, beginning of December"

US government scientist Dr Anthony Fauci tells #Marr once a Covid-19 vaccine is available, the challenge will be distributing it to those who need ithttps://t.co/KgSEipzrUB pic.twitter.com/kkay0Y6mQm

— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) October 25, 2020

Fauci made it clear the number of doses available in December will not “certainly be enough to vaccinate everybody.”

He went on, “You’ll have to wait several months into 2021.”

Fauci explained there will be a prioritization set where individuals including health care workers will receive it first along with those who are at an increased risk of complications.

“That could start by the end of this year, the beginning, January, February, March, of next year, but when you talk about vaccinating a substantial proportion of the population so that you can have a significant impact on the dynamics of the outbreak, that very likely will not be until the second or third quarter of the year,” Fauci said.

Marr asked Fauci how important it is for politicians and public figures to set an example and follow the science.

Fauci said it is “very important.”

“People look at what their leaders say and do and you can positively or negatively influence behavior. One of the things I’m concerned about in the United States is that part of the anti-science translates maybe into anti-vaccine,” he said.