Trump mobilising US military to 'rapidly' distribute COVID-19 vaccine when it's ready

US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that his administration is mobilising the Army so that the United States can disburse COVID-19 vaccine when one becomes available, possibly "at the end of the year". While speaking to international media, Trump said he is mobilising the military to disburse Coronavirus vaccine when they are ready. Based on the assumption that the vaccine will be ready by the end of this year, Trump said, "We are starting to mobilise the military to get a head start."

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Donald Trump on Wednesday had announced that he would place Army Gen. Gustave Perna as COO for 'Operation Warp Speed', an effort to speed up the vaccine development program in the United States and deliver it to as many American citizens as soon as possible, once they are ready. During the interview, Trump suggested that the vaccine will be ready by the end of 2020, in contrast to what health experts have been saying so far. The White House Coronavirus taskforce member Dr. Anthony Fauci had earlier said that the vaccine development could take 12 to 18 months before it is ready to deliver. 

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The outbreak is still claiming thousands of lives across the world as countries race to develop a vaccine for the contagious virus. As per reports, seven countries have started conducting human trials of the vaccine so far, including China, the United States, Germany, and the United Kingdom. During the interview, Trump also launched a scathing attack at China threatening to cut all ties with the nation over its reluctance in sharing full information about the contagious disease.

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Coronavirus outbreak in the US

Donald Trump has been facing a lot of criticism over his handling of the Coronavirus outbreak. The United States is currently the worst affected country in the world with over 1.4 million confirmed cases and more than 86,000 deaths to date. Recently, a 'Trump death clock' was installed on top of the Times Square building, the creator of which said it shows the number of deaths that could have been avoided if the president had acted early.

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(Image Credit: AP)