President Trump told reporters Wednesday that he had called the director of the Centers for Disease Control to remind him that a COVID-19 vaccine would have to be had before the November election.
CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield told the Senate Wednesday morning that the public is unlikely to have a COVID-19 vaccine until mid-2021.
But Trump told reporters Wednesday that Redfield “confused” when he made the statement.
“I made a mistake in saying that,” Trump said at a White House briefing.
The president added that after hearing Redfield’s comments, he became the director of the CDC.
“I called him and he didn’t tell me that, and I think he might have the message,” Trump said, adding that he asked Redfield what he meant by that comment.
Trump added that “we are in a position to start without delay because the vaccine is announced, and it may be announced in October, it may be announced a little after October, but once we get there, we are in a position. “
Experts said that given the current state of vaccine trials, there is virtually no possibility of sufficient knowledge to be gathered to particularly know whether any of the 3 existing Phase III vaccine applicants will be effective in the coming weeks.
However, Trump’s leadership has pledged to pass a vaccine on a schedule that can benefit from President Trump’s re-election campaign.
Dr. Redfield himself told state officials to prepare to begin distributing a vaccine until the end of October.
But in his testimony before the Senate on Wednesday morning, he noted another point: that the source of vaccines would not meet the demand to the point of ensuring widespread availability until mid-2021.
“We’re very close to this vaccine, as you know, I think more than the maximum other people need to say, more than the maximum other people understand,” Trump said. “We think we can start in October, so as soon as it’s announced, we can get started. It will be from mid-October. “