At the White House on Friday, President Trump gave us an update on Operation Warp Speed, explaining that three vaccine candidates are in the final phase of their trials. Trump said that they're on track to manufacture at least 100 million vaccine doses of the coronavirus vaccine before the end of the year. Distribution will begin within 24 hours after it is approved.
"The successful vaccine will not only save millions of lives," he said. "It will put an end to the restrictions and some of the things that go on and have go on in the meantime."
Trump surprised some folks when he added that the vaccine should be available for every American by April.
Trump let slip, ’we expect to have enough vaccines available for every American by April’ pic.twitter.com/dHvbEPCWfL
— NowThis (@nowthisnews) September 18, 2020
He added that his opponent, Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden, is putting lives at risk by questioning the efficacy and safety of the eventual vaccine.
"Joe Biden's anti-vaccine theories are putting a lot of lives at risk," Trump said. "And they're only doing it for political reasons. It's very foolish."
President Trump says "Joe Biden's anti-vaccine theories are putting a lot of lives at risk." pic.twitter.com/Mb5ybudHH8
— The Hill (@thehill) September 18, 2020
Biden and his running mate Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) have warned Americans not to trust a vaccine that is developed under President Trump's watch, as if he is in the lab developing it himself. The former vice president has been criticized for adopting a doom and gloom attitude about our chances in defeating the pandemic ("no miracle is coming.") But President Trump has taken a much different approach.
"In a short time, we’ll have a safe and effective vaccine, and we'll defeat the virus," the president pledged on Friday.