Trump mobilizes team to produce coronavirus vaccine ‘by end of this year’ and suggests NY will ‘probably get first dibs’

DONALD Trump has unveiled his "Operation Warp Speed" team who will push to deliver a coronavirus vaccine by this year.

The president broke the news during a COVID-19 briefing in the White House Rose Garden on Friday.

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Surrounded by members of the coronavirus task force, the president said: "We’re looking to get it by the end of the year if we can, maybe before."
"[I] think we’re going to have some very good results, very quickly," he added.

The president also added that the team have been working "24 hours a day" to find a coronavirus vaccine.

Trump revealed that Dr Moncef Slaoui, the ex-head of GlaxoSmithKline's vaccines division, and Gustave Perna, a four-star Army General, will lead "Operation Warp Speed."

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Slaoui will act as the team's chief scientist, while Perna will serve as the chief operating officer.

Speaking of the "historic partnership", the president said: "It's great to have you on board."

The team will help to meet the president's prediction that there will be a coronavirus vaccine by the end of the year.

"I think we're going to have a vaccine by the end of the year, and I think distribution will take place almost simultaneously because we've geared up the military," he said on Thursday afternoon.

Trump hopes that by using Operation Warp Speed, a coronavirus vaccine will be developed sooner than the 12-18 month timeframe.

The president also suggested that states such as New York and New Jersey will have "first dibs" on a vaccine once it's created.

When asked by a reporter if the hardest hit states would have priority over others, the president replied: "I think that would make sense.

"I would say probably, but I think they're all going to get well distributed."

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Trump hopes that by using Operation Warp Speed, a coronavirus vaccine will be developed sooner than the 12-18 month timeframe.
"I hope we're going to have a vaccine, and we're going to fast-track it like you've never seen before, if we come up with a vaccine," the president said last month.
However, on Friday Trump told journalists: "I want to make one thing clear. It's very important. Vaccine or no vaccine, we're back."