No widespread coronavirus vaccine roll-out until mid-2021, WHO says, despite claims to contrary
- Across the world, governments are hoping to announce a Covid-19 vaccine as soon as possible after nearly 870,000 people have died
- The WHO said it welcomed the ‘considerable number’ of vaccine candidates that had entered final stage Phase III trials
Across the world, governments are hoping to announce a vaccine as soon as possible and roll out treatments for Covid-19, which has killed nearly 870,000 people and infected well over 26 million.
The UN health agency welcomed the fact that a “considerable number” of vaccine candidates had entered final stage Phase III trials, which typically involve tens of thousands of people.
“We know of at least six to nine that have got quite a long way with the research already,” WHO spokeswoman Margaret Harris told reporters in Geneva.
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However, she stressed, “in terms of realistic timelines, we are really not expecting to see widespread vaccination until the middle of next year”.