COVID-19 Vaccine Ready in US by End of October; Timing in Doubt: Trump Election Move?

The U.S. is going it alone with regard to developing a COVID-19 vaccine. The Trump administration is closing the door on the global initiative to develop, produce and distribute a vaccine for COVID-19 in a surprising decision based on the World Health Organization’s involvement with the project. The U.S. president has openly objected to the WHO for some time, alleging it is too ‘China-centric’.

‘The United States will continue to engage our international partners to ensure we defeat this virus, but we will not be constrained by multilateral organizations influenced by the corrupt World Health Organization and China’, confirmed Judd Deere, White House spokesman.

The COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access Facility initially attracted the attention and approval from several members of the Trump administration. . The president, however, refused to listen to reason, snubbing the WHO and betting on his America First Policy, even with respect to finding a vaccine, which is expected soon.

According to rumors, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have notified health officials in every state to prepare for the distribution of a vaccine between the end of October and beginning of November to health care and those most at risk The timing has raised concern about the possible politicization the coronavirus given the presidential election on Nov. 3.

At least 170 countries are considering joining the initiative, which aims to speed up production of the vaccine, making sure that it will be available to every country and be equally distributed, particularly among parts of the population which are most at risk.

Along with the WHO, the project is being organized and led by the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations and the Gavi Alliance (a collaboration of public and private entities). In addition, China has indicated it may help with the project. Trump is making a bet that exposes the U.S. to serious risk. The number of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. has reached nearly 6 million and new COVID-19 clusters are being reported in certain regions of the country. This is due in part to a number of large-scale events that took place in recent weeks where people did not wear masks and there were no social distancing precautions, an example being a recent motorcycle rally in Sturgis, South Dakota. The gathering attracted 400,000 bikers, and at least 260 of those who attended were infected and one person died after weeks in intensive care.

Despite the fact he is confident that a vaccine may be produced ahead of schedule, Anthony Fauci, the prominent American infectious disease specialist, has warned about a possible new increase in cases in the coming weeks between Labor Day and the reopening of schools and universities. This is a particularly problematic time: colleges that have already reopened have been forced to impose new, stricter safety measures following a rise in infections. And now, the litmus test will be the reopening of schools in New York City, the only major city to resume classes in person . After making a major announcement that schools would reopen as usual, Mayor Bill de Blasio was forced to postpone the start of lessons by 10 days, following a dispute with the teachers’ unions, who have threatened to strike.