RESETTING EXPECTATIONS

Biden’s Surgeon General Pick Says Many May Not Get the Vaccine Until Fall

“We also want to be realistic about the timeline.”

President-elect Joe Biden’s pick for surgeon general, Vivek Murthy, says the Trump administration’s timeline for the COVID-19 vaccine may be unrealistic and that many Americans may not get the shot until summer or fall. Speaking on Meet the Press, Murthy said, “We all want the vaccine to be delivered as quickly, as fairly as possible. We also want to be realistic about the timeline.” He said it is possible that people in lower-risk categories could get the shots by late spring “but that would require everything to go exactly on schedule.” Instead, Murthy said, it’s more realistic to assume “it may be closer to mid-summer or early fall when this vaccine makes its way to the general public.”