“The next three months might be the "darkest of the entire pandemic," said a leading US infectious-disease expert citing what he described as a "major problem in messaging" related to COVID-19.
"We do have vaccines and therapeutics coming down the pike," Dr. Michael Osterholm, the director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, said in an interview. "But when you actually look at the time period for that, the next six to 12 weeks are going to be the darkest of the entire pandemic."
Osterholm told in an interview that despite some progress, "vaccines will not become available in any meaningful way until early to the third quarter of next year."
"And even then, half of the US population, at this point, is skeptical of even taking the vaccine," Osterholm said. "So what we have right now is a major problem in messaging."
As previously reported, the race to establish a COVID-19 vaccine has already surpassed records for speed, prompting concern that the vaccine is being rushed for political purposes despite a rare joint pledge from drugmakers to ensure that the vaccine is developed safely.
“This is our COVID year. Let's accept it. Think through this and do them the greatest gift of all. And that is to distance yourself this year and don't expose them. It's not ideal. We know that. But we're trying to get through it”.
“Several health experts have dismissed herd immunity as a viable solution, including Fauci, who called it 'total nonsense,' as well as 'scientifically and ethically problematic,” he said.
