Dr. Moncef Slaoui, chief advisor for the White House’s Operation Warp Speed COVID-19 vaccination effort, told ABC News Wednesday that he feels “pretty confident” Americans can have been vaccinated by June 2021. “It’s not a certainty, but the plan — and I feel pretty confident — should make it such that by June, everybody could have been immunized in the U.S.,” Slaoui told ABC News’ Bob Woodruff Wednesday morning. Saloui also insisted he hadn’t been improperly pressured by the White House to rush vaccine development beyond what he considered to be safe. “I’ve had absolutely no pressure, really, no pressure,” Slaoui said, “And I have [always] said, if I get undue pressure, I will say it and I will resign.”
Slaoui also said pharmaceutical companies Moderna and Pfizer are likely to be the first with vaccine candidates to apply to the Food and Drug Administration for emergency use, possibly as soon as November or December. If a vaccine is authorized before the end of the year, Slaoui said approximately 20 to 40 million doses of it will be stockpiled and ready for distribution for a limited population. According to The New York Times, there are currently 11 potential COVID-19 vaccines undergoing phase 3 human trials around the world.
Operation Warp Speed advisor confident Americans could be vaccinated for COVID-19 by June
