Science is making incredible progress toward a COVID-19 vaccine, but as approval nears – potentially as early as December – worry has shifted to the complexity of distribution.
Overall, hopefulness was the theme of USA TODAY's vaccine panel this month. After five months, the panel's countdown clock to a widely available vaccine skipped forward another hour, to 8 a.m.
Companies and observers generally expect at least one COVID-19 candidate vaccine soon will receive a regulatory thumbs up. Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health, joined the chorus Tuesday when he told NPR he was "guardedly optimistic" one or more of the candidates will be judged safe and effective by the end of the year.
But reality is setting in about how hard it will be to get an approved vaccine into the arms of everyone who wants it – twice.
"The initial vaccine supply and the distribution and vaccination programs will not live up to the public’s desire for immediate, widespread access to a safe and effective vaccine," said Dr. Kelly Moore, associate director of immunization education at the Immunization Action Coalition.
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