Dr. Fauci cautiously optimistic about vaccine progress as Moderna, Pfizer move to final testing phase
  • 4 years ago
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Deaths from COVID-19 in the U.S. have now surpassed one-hundred-fifty thousand from a total of four-point-four million total cases.
Eager to stem the flow of infections, two U.S. pharmaceutical companies have announced that they are in the final stages of clinical trials for a possible COVID-19 vaccine.
Kim Cheong-ah reports.
According Worldometer's latest figures as of Monday local time, the U.S. has reported more than four-point-four million cases of COVID-19 and more than one-hundred-fifty-thousand deaths.
And, with the number of deaths per day surpassing the one-thousand-mark, concerns mount as to whether the country can keep the virus under control.
By state, California has the highest number of infections, followed by Florida, New York and Texas.
However, Moderna, in partnership with the National Institutes of Health, on Monday announced their final-stage testing of a vaccine.
On the same day, another company, Pfizer, also said it is finalizing its own vaccine study.
Trials conducted by both companies will include a total of 60-thousand volunteers.
In the case of Moderna, volunteers will be given either a real dose of the vaccine or a dummy without being told which. Experts will then track which group experiences more infections.
U.S. top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, offered cautious optimism but said answers won't come until mid-to-late fall.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump lauded the county's efforts to deliver three-hundred-million doses of a vaccine by January next year.
"We will achieve a victory over the virus by unleashing America's scientific genius, which is what it is. Under Operation Warp Speed, we've shaved years off of the time that it takes to develop a vaccine, in some cases many years."
Meanwhile, Trump's national security adviser, Robert O'Brien, has tested positive for COVID-19, making him the highest-ranking U.S. official to contract the virus.
O'Brien is said to have mild symptoms and has been self-isolating and, according to the White House, there is no risk of exposure to the president or vice president.
KIM Cheong-ah, Arirang News.
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