Trump promises vaccine 'in a matter of weeks'; 20 MN people to be vaccinated by December

US President Donald Trump on Friday while delivering his first speech since his defeat in the US Presidential Elections 2020 informed that millions of Americans will be vaccinated in the coming weeks and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine will be available to the entire population of United States by April next year. This comes as a welcome news for a nation that is reeling from record infection rates.

While providing an update on Operation Warp Speed from Rose Garden at the White House, he said, 'The vaccine will be distributed to frontline workers, the elderly and high-risk Americans... in a matter of weeks.'

Donald Trump said, "Our investment will make it possible for the vaccine to be provided by Pfizer free of charge."

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20 million Americans will get COVID-19 vaccine this year

Elaborating on Trump's promise, Operation Warp Speed chief adviser Moncef Slaoui said that the United States hopes to immunize 20 million residents in December and at least 25 million each month in 2021.

Slaoui said, "We plan to have enough vaccine doses available for use in the US population to immunize about 20 million individuals in the month of December and another 25 to 30 million per month on an ongoing basis," Slaoui said on Friday. As of the month February or March, if we have more vaccine approved...we may be able to immunize a larger number of Americans on an ongoing basis per month."

Speaking about the final phase of clinical trials of the two Coronavirus vaccines which are being developed by Pfizer and Moderna, he said that the vaccines would be approved for emergency use in December. As per the latest statistics by Wolrdometer, United States So far has recorded over 11,064,36 positive cases, out of which 6,789,146 have successfully recovered while 249,975 have died. 

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Joe Biden & Kamala Harris win US Elections 2020

The press conference was held after a days of public silence and internal turmoil reported at the White House. Since the Democratic nominee Joe Biden was elected the 46th US President on Saturday, Trump has been focusing on his political future, tweeting conspiracy theories about voter fraud, so much so that Covid-19 had become something of an afterthought for the president.

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Meanwhile, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will formally assume office in January 2021. Kamala Harris has now made history by becoming the first woman, the first woman of colour and first woman of South-Asian origin to become the Vice-President-in waiting of the United States. This isn't the first time the Democratic VP elect Harris has made history. She made history earlier by becoming the first Asian-American to be chosen as a Democratic vice presidential nominee. Several world leaders have taken the opportunity to congratulate Joe Biden and Kamala Harris as their supporters across the US have taken to streets to celebrate the victory.

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(With ANI inputs)