Most Americans won't be vaccinated by spring, Biden vaccine adviser says
Dr. David Kessler, a former head of the Food and Drug Administration who is now overseeing the U.S. effort to accelerate the development, manufacture and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, pushed back the timeline in which most Americans can expect to get vaccinated during an interview on SiriusXM’s "Doctor Radio Reports."
"We're not going to have everyone vaccinated in April, in May, right? Just not gonna happen," Kessler told the radio show's host, Dr. Marc Siegel. "We got to get over 65, essential workers. I think this is going to take us into the fall. We got to get there before next winter, and one of the things I care about very honestly, is we can't do this again.”
The U.S. outbreak may end sooner if Johnson & Johnson's vaccine is more than 80% effective, according to Kessler. But even if that vaccine is highly effective, he added, it will still take months to get priority groups, like older adults and essential workers, vaccinated.
"The bottom line is I wish I could tell you there's plenty of vaccine and we can fill all these endless amounts of appointments. We can't. It's going to take us months to have enough supply," Kessler said.
-ABC News' Stephanie Ebbs contributed to this report.