Dr. Anthony Fauci is reassuring Americans it is not possible to contract the coronavirus through a vaccine.
During Wednesday’s Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions hearing, Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) pressed Fauci on whether receiving a shot of the coronavirus vaccine will give him the coronavirus.
“Absolutely not. That would be impossible,” Fauci said.
He reiterated the risk of contracting the coronavirus through a vaccine “does not exist.”
Fauci went on to note the effectiveness of the coronavirus vaccine is unknown as well as how long it will last.
Watch his comments below (starting at 2:56:00):
“We will find out the answer to those questions through the clinical trials and the follow up of the clinical trials,” Fauci said.
Alexander questioned Fauci about whether the vaccine will be free when it is distributed and administered to Americans.
Fauci said he has been told Americans will not have to pay for the vaccine.
He expects 50 million doses in November and 100 million by the end of December.
Fauci foresees a total of 700 million doses by April.
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield said during his testimony before the committee he anticipates 700 million doses of vaccines by late March or April, enough for 350 million people.
“I think that’s going to take us April, May, June, you know, possibly July, to get the entire American public completely vaccinated,” Redfield said.
President Donald Trump told reporters during his press briefing on Friday that he predicts there would be enough doses for every American by April.
According to a recent Axios-Ipsos poll, Americans’ willingness to receive the first generation of a coronavirus vaccine has continued to fall over the past month.
The number of coronavirus related deaths surpassed 200,000 in the U.S. on Tuesday.