The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has asked states to prepare to distribute a potential coronavirus vaccine as soon as late October, according to …
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has asked states to prepare to distribute a potential coronavirus vaccine as soon as late October, according to a series of planning documents sent to public health officials last week. A CDC spokesperson confirmed the authenticity of the documents in an email to NPR on Wednesday. The documents were first published by the New York Times. CDC Director Robert Redfield also sent a letter asking governors to fast-track permits and licenses so that vaccine distribution sites can be up and running by Nov.1, McClatchy reports. That request, as well as the three planning documents, are the latest indication that the race for a vaccine may be picking up speed. Months into the pandemic, the U. S. has recorded more than 6 million cases and 185,000 deaths from COVID-19. The federal government has long aimed to have a COVID-19 vaccine ready by Jan.2021, and established an initiative it calls Operation Warp Speed to accelerate the process of developing, manufacturing and distributing an effective vaccine. That process typically takes up to several years. Three different vaccines are currently in Phase 3 trials in the U. S., during which the vaccine is given to thousands of people to test its safety and efficacy. Public health officials have offered different predictions as far as when the first vaccine may be ready for distribution, with most hoping for early next year. Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said in July that he is “cautiously optimistic” a vaccine could be ready by the end of the year and distributed beginning in 2021.
