US govt says coronavirus vaccine might not be affordable for all

The United States on Wednesday said that coronavirus vaccine may not be affordable for all but ensured that they are working to make it more economical. According to media reports, United States Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar during a hearing at the Congress said that they are working to make the vaccine more affordable but also added that they can't control the price because of no investment from private sector yet. As per reports, Democrats and other critics quickly condemned Azar, with Senator Brian Schatz demanding to "kick them (staff) out of the office".

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The government and private researchers around the world are working to develop a vaccine to fight coronavirus, however, it is still estimated to be several months away. United States health officials earlier this month held a press briefing where they said that the development of coronavirus vaccine is progressing well without any glitches.

The announcement was made by a US health official of the Department of Health and Human Services. One of the members of the President's Coronavirus Task Force during the press briefing said that the work is underway and the vaccine would hopefully be ready within three months.

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Global coronavirus outbreak

The new coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, has claimed more than 2,700 lives across the globe and has infected over 81,000 people since December 2019. According to reports, at least 27 people have died outside mainland China, which makes it the worst disease outbreak in the 21st century.

The virus originated from a seafood market in Wuhan city, where animals were being traded illegally. Hubei province of China has been most affected by the contagious disease, which is also the epicentre of the virus. 

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