President Donald Trump and his administration confidently proclaimed Friday that the U.S. will be able to distribute a full-scale coronavirus vaccine by the end of the year, despite most public health experts estimating it could take at least 12 to 18 months, if not longer.
“Winning matters, and we will deliver by the end of this year a vaccine at scale,” Defense Secretary Mark Esper said.
Former pharmaceutical executive Moncef Slaoui and Army Gen. Gustave Perna will lead an effort that is already narrowing down vaccine candidates, Trump announced, adding that the most promising ones will be used in a clinical trial.
“We are looking to get it by the end of the year if we can, maybe before,” he said. | 
