Researchers are making good progress in developing vaccines against COVID-19, with a handful in late-stage trials, but their first use cannot be expected until early 2021, Mike Ryan, executive director of WHO’s emergencies program, said.

“Realistically it is going to be the first part of next year before we start seeing people getting vaccinated,” Ryan told a public event on social media.

He noted that several vaccines are now in late-stage trials and none had failed in terms of safety or ability to generate an immune response so far.