The European Union’s European Medicines Agency on Thursday said they are “optimistic” that a coronavirus vaccine would be available at the beginning of next year.
The comments come shortly after President Trump said that his administration is operating on the assumption that there will be a vaccine for the new coronavirus available by the end of the year, reiterating an ambitious timeline that various private companies are rushing to try to meet.
“For vaccines, since the development has to start from scratch … we might look from an optimistic side in a year from now,” Marco Cavaleri, the EMA’s head of vaccines, told reporters, “so beginning of 2021.”
The agency has been working with 33 developers to examine 115 different solutions that may produce an effective vaccine to combat the virus, Reuters reported.
But Mr. Cavaleri was skeptical that a vaccine would be ready before the start of next year and said the agency would not skip a necessary third phase of testing that ensures the vaccine is safe.
• Lauren Toms can be reached at lmeier@washingtontimes.com.
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