Hopes, fears, politics play into issue of COVID-19 vaccines

PITTSBURGH — A COVID-19 vaccine has become as political as just about everything else these days.

“I think when it comes to therapeutics, you’re going to have some incredible news coming out soon,” said President Donald Trump.

“I think that we have learned since this pandemic started but really before that, that there is very little we can trust that comes out of Donald Trump’s mouth,” said U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris.

At home, medical experts said the way the pandemic was handled in the beginning affects many people’s views of any potential vaccine.

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“If you look at the way the Emergency Use Authorization process had been meddled with when it came to Hydroxychloroquine or convalescent plasma, that really put a lot of doubt in the American public whether or not a vaccine might be rushed whether it would be a political or scientific decision,” Dr. Amesh Adalaja said.

Adalaja said even if a vaccine became available before the end of the year, it could take another year before enough of it is available to the public.

“It is going to come out in priority groups, so individuals like healthcare workers and high risk individuals are going to be the first to get the vaccine,” he said.

A majority of Americans were unsure if they would take a government approved COVID-19 vaccine, according to a recent NBC News poll.

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