Donald Trump Says Covid-19 Vaccine Could be Ready within Few Weeks

• 'We’re withing weeks of getting it. You know, could be three weeks, four weeks,' said Donald Trump
• Public health authorities have raised concerns the White House is pressuring the FDA to approve a vaccine before the election on November 3

President Donald Trump again raised hopes -- and concern -- about swift U.S. approval for a coronavirus vaccine, saying at a town hall event hosted by ABC News that the shot could be ready within four weeks.

“The previous administration would have taken perhaps years to have a vaccine, because of the FDA and all the approvals," Trump said. “We’re withing weeks of getting it. You know, could be three weeks, four weeks."

He offered the timeline after a man who identified himself as a conservative diabetic told Trump he was pleased with the president’s response to the pandemic until about May 1. The man said he felt he had to dodge people who refuse to wear masks or socially distance and accused Trump of leaving people like him “vulnerable."

Public health authorities have raised concerns the White House is pressuring the FDA to approve a vaccine before the election on Nov. 3, and drug companies developing vaccines have jointly said they would not put forward a vaccine until it had been thoroughly vetted for safety and efficacy.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Scrabbl staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)