President Donald Trump predicted a vaccine by November and mentioned the possibility of releasing a $300-billion stimulus package, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said the number of deaths due to the new coronavirus had risen by 1 081 to 186 173 and reported 6 132 074 cases, an increase of 44 671 cases from its previous count.
“We remain on track to deliver a vaccine before the end of the year, maybe even before November 1st. We think we could probably have it sometime in the month of October,” Trump told reporters at a White House briefing.
The CDC reported its tally of cases of the respiratory illness known as COVID-19, caused by a new coronavirus, as of 4 p.m. ET on September 3 compared with its previous report a day earlier.
Earlier in the day, US Vice President Mike Pence said that the Trump administration would not “cut corners” in making a vaccine for the coronavirus available, although it wants to move as fast as possible to deliver something that is safe and effective.
Trump encouraged all US citizens to observe recommended precautions, saying he thought the country was “rounding the turn,” if it could get past the Labour Day weekend.
“You know, you have the Labour Day weekend coming upon us immediately.. And we need everybody to be careful, to apply common sense and do all of the things that we’ve told you to do as quickly, as much as you can: social distancing, wearing a mask whenever the distancing is not possible, and staying like, staying with a group that you know, let’s just try and get through this one weekend that I think we have a chance of doing that: just social distance, wash your hands, all of the hygiene things we speak about– and we’re really rounding the turn,” he said.
Trump also said his administration had $300-billion in unused funds that he would send to Americans as a stimulus, if Congress would approve it.
“We have 300-billion dollars in a, in an account that we didn’t use, 300-billion. And we are willing to use that. I would be willing to release it subject to Congress and use that as stimulus money, and it would go right to the American people,” he said.
The University of Washington’s Health Institute forecast on Friday that US deaths from the coronavirus will reach 410 000 by the end of the year, more than double the current death toll, and deaths could soar to 3 000 per day in December.
Deaths could be reduced by 30% if more Americans wore face masks as epidemiologists have advised, but mask-wearing is declining, the university’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation said.
