The odds are “reasonably high” that a coronavirus vaccine will be approved before the end of the year, according to Howard Koh of Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
In an October 22, 2020 interview with WBUR’s Bob Oakes, Koh, Harvey V. Fineberg Professor of the Practice of Public Health Leadership, said, “We are really looking forward to this—if it’s done right and we also have high levels of acceptance from the public.”
Koh said that there is a lot of public concern that Operation Warp Speed—the federal program aimed at quickly developing a vaccine—may be cutting corners, “and no one wants that.” He stressed the need for transparency during the approval process and for all safety data about any potential vaccine to be widely and clearly communicated, so that people have confidence in the vaccine.
He added, “Communicating the importance of vaccination going forward will be absolutely critical to keep trust and confidence at the highest level.”
Listen to the WBUR interview: Public Health Expert Weighs In On How Close We May Be To Vaccine Approval
Learn more
Op-ed: A call to build trust in COVID-19 vaccination (Harvard Chan School news)