Top U.S. infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci said on MSNBC that based on the patient enrollment rate in COVID-19 vaccine trials underway, there could be enough clinical data to know by November or December that one of the vaccines is safe and effective.
"Is it conceivable that you could get an answer before then? Yes, it's conceivable," Fauci said.
Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, also said that the U.S. is not pursuing a strategy of "herd immunity."
"The fundamental strategy that we clearly articulate is to try to prevent as many infections as you possibly can prevent: identification, isolation, and contact tracing," Fauci said.
(Reporting by Caroline Humer; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)
