Donald Trump touts 'Operation Warp Speed' for coronavirus vaccine by end of year
Donald Trump has said he hopes a coronavirus vaccine will be available by the end of the year and revealed details of the US government drive to help the efforts dubbed “Operation Warp Speed”.
The US president said the initiative will be unlike anything America has undertaken since the Manhattan Project, which happened during World War Two and produced the first nuclear weapons.
“That means big and it means fast”, Mr Trump said of the “warp speed” title, adding that the military has been drafted in to help health officials make preparations for the vaccine.
Mr Trump said the US would start mass production of any vaccines developed before they are fully approved so that they can be quickly distributed once rubber-stamped.
He said that “every plane, truck and soldier deployed” to help the effort would be focused on making sure millions of Americans got the drug quickly.
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However he stressed it was a cooperative effort with other countries, repeatedly saying there should be “no ego” and noting that the US was working with adversaries as well as allies on the drive.
“We’re gearing up. It’s risky, it’s expensive, but we will be saving up massive amounts of time… if we do this properly,” the US president said.
The decision by Mr Trump to put the full force of the US government behind the search for the vaccine will likely be cheered by experts who have called for such a move.
But eyebrows were raised by the confidence expressed by the president that an approved vaccine could be available to all Americans by the end of the year.
Work on a vaccine began in January and a timeframe of 12 to 18 months has been discussed by many scientists, though some have cautioned that may be too optimistic.
Mr Trump talked about a vaccine being distributed “prior to the end of the year”. But he also said America rebounding from the pandemic was not dependent on the breakthrough, saying: “Vaccine or no vaccine, we’re back.”
Mr Trump chose not to wear a mask again during his press conference in the White House Rose Garden, despite other officials on stage such as Dr Anthony Fauci, the top US infectious disease expert, wearing one.
Asked to explain the decision by a reporter, Mr Trump said he had tested negative for coronavirus, while noting the event was taking place outside and that he was standing some distance away from others.
