HHS Sec. says coronavirus vaccine slated for early 2021, will ramp up manufacturing

A coronavirus vaccine could be around the corner in early 2021 as part of an “ambitious goal” the federal government has set as it pledges to ramp up manufacturing to have the much-needed vaccine available quickly.

“We have set a goal, an ambitious goal early next year for having 300 million doses for the American people,” said Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar at a press conference in Boston on Friday.

He added, “We’re going to have many shots on goal but there’s no guarantee.”

Azar toured Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Friday to learn about patient care, coronavirus testing kits and other COVID research such as the hospital’s partnership with Johnson & Johnson to make a vaccine.

“What we’re doing is deploying the entire power of the federal government, the financial resources of the federal government and our incredible private sector,” said Azar in regards to getting a vaccine.

Azar said scaling up the potential 300 million doses will begin “even before we know if we have safe and effective vaccines.”

He continued, “That way, if we get FDA approval of a drug or authorization of a vaccine, we will have the product ready and available.”

Gov. Charlie Baker, who joined Azar on Friday said the “very promising” vaccine candidate being developed at BIDMC can “provide a significant amount of optimism to all of us who are both looking for treatments and vaccines.”

As states across the country move to reopen, Azar said we have the tools to avoid another big shutdown on a national level. He said there could be outbreaks in isolated communities that would be handled locally.

He said about 60 counties across the country are considered hot spots, but don’t seem to be linked to reopening, rather to congregate living and working spaces.

Looking forward, a six part approach to knockdown any future threat of pandemic will include surveillance, testing, containment, supplies, isolation and treatment and vaccines or other therapeutics.

Azar also said it is too soon to tell if nationwide protests following the death of George Floyd will impact case counts.

He said, “In terms of any impact from protest activity it’s still probably too early epidemiologically to be able to draw any conclusions there.”

Noted that the surge of telehealth and the rescheduling of routine procedures such as colonoscopies is also part of the reopening process to keep people safe and healthy.

“The right way to think about reopening isn’t health versus the economy, it’s health versus health,” said Azar.

The Secretary commended Massachusetts for its successes in battling the pandemic and creating innovative technology to maintain the health of residents.

Baker said, “Secretary, I just want to say to you, there is no better place in this country to learn about what’s going on with respect to COVID, with respect to treatments, with respect to testing, with respect to vaccines.”

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/3cYgK40