Don't hold your breath for a coronavirus vaccine.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

If a fire breaks out in a school or a movie theater, everyone knows what to do: head for the exits.

The exit plan for this pandemic, on the other hand, is uncharted territory.

What's certain is that a vaccine is crucial. That's why scientists and governments are working at unprecedented speeds to create one. Since the start of the outbreak, top health officials have said it'll take about 12-18 months for a vaccine to be ready. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has said he's "optimistic" that we'll have at least one vaccine ready by the end of this year or the start of 2021.

But even that timeline is unknown.

"When you're dealing with vaccines, you can't guarantee things," Fauci told PBS NewsHour in a July 17 interview.

Plus, even once we create a promising vaccine, big challenges to humanity's exit strategy come after that: in testing, mass-manufacturing, and distributing these vaccines fairly and affordably. More insidious political and cultural barriers may also arise, since even if a vaccine is produced and distributed in record time, many Americans say they won't opt in.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/dont-hold-your-breath-for-a-coronavirus-vaccine-here-are-the-7-biggest-challenges-we-still-need-to-overcome/ar-BB17b96U?li=BBnb7Kz

[Ferrets are Cool]

1. As changeable as this virus has been so far

as soon as we develop a vaccine (if we do), it will just mutate into a different variety.

[Drunken Irishman]

4. Fauci did say once a vaccine is made it will stop the pandemic in its tracks.

https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2020/07/24/health/us-coronavirus-friday/index.html?__twitter_impression=true

[Ferrets are Cool]

6. That is a bold statement.

I hope it is a true statement.

[Shermann]

2. I can see being cynical at this very moment

But considering this could be an event lasting years, we'll be thankful to have vaccines in the toolbox come next year. Even if they only last 6 months, that's enough to get through flu season. If they only last 2 months, that will probably only be useful to healthcare workers.

[dawg]

3. I feel certain we'll get a vaccine. I just don't think that means what most people think it does.

Even if we get a pretty good vaccine, Covid-19 will still be with us for a long time.

No vaccine is 100% effective, and this one is likely to be closer to 50-70% effective than 100%. All vaccines rely, to some extent, on herd immunity. And yet many of our fellow citizens will refuse to be vaccinated, further reducing the effectiveness of the vaccine.

And, of course, the vaccine is likely to be of limited duration, requiring annual boosters in order to remain effective.

I'm afraid that too many people are thinking it's all over once we get a vaccine. If so, they are setting themselves up for a massive disappointment.

I hope I'm wrong.

[Drunken Irishman]

5. Fauci seems confident once a vaccine is readily available, it will stop the pandemic.

But Fauci says he's confident a vaccine will be able to stop the pandemic in its tracks, once it's widely available.

https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2020/07/24/health/us-coronavirus-friday/index.html?__twitter_impression=true

[dawg]

7. I think Fauci's been trying to walk a fine line ever since this all began.

No vaccine works if the people won't take it.