Fast-Track Vaccines

Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine says she's confident in the state's plan for rolling out vaccines.

The list includes funding, a plan for communicating with the public, medical personnel training and storage capabilities.

The COVID-19 vaccine is being produced so quickly due to a combination of factors involving the research community, government, industry and the public.

"There will be consequences, always, from these choices," says former WHO chair David Salisbury. "But we try to make them with the best interests of the most people at heart."

As of now, confidence in a potential COVID-19 vaccine is lower than confidence in other vaccines, one specialist says.

Researchers say they must overcome deep mistrust of medical research in the Black, Latinx and Native American communities in recruiting volunteers for vaccine testing.

To build public trust, Pfizer shared details of their trials: who was tested, the race and ethnicity of participants, how they were monitored, how to measure success and funding sources.

The manufacturing can't happen until suppliers know exactly which vaccine candidates they're working with.

Katja Busch says efficient vaccine distribution is most dependent on coordinated efforts between the involved parties.

Health departments will need trained personnel and equipment like syringes and vials. And states want special funding.