Trump says CDC dir. on vaccines ‘was confused’
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WASHINGTON D.C. (Reuters) — U.S. President Donald Trump predicted on Wednesday at least 100 million doses of a coronavirus vaccine could be distributed in by the end of 2020, contradicting U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield, who Trump dismissed as confused.
“No I think he made a mistake when he said that,” Trump said, telling reporters he called Redfield. “That’s incorrect information. “I believe he was confused. I think he just misunderstood the question, probably.”
Redfield, head of the federal government’s disease control agency, made his comments in testimony before a U.S. Senate panel.
He said the general availability of a vaccine could come by “late second quarter, third quarter of 2021.”
A vaccine could be ready as soon as this November or December, Redfield said Wednesday, adding that limited first doses could go to those who were most vulnerable. But “in order to have enough of us immunized to have immunity, I think it’s going to take six to nine months,” he added.