When and How You’ll Get a Vaccine

<p>For Americans, months of collective isolation and fear could soon be winding down. A coronavirus vaccine may be just weeks away.</p><p>According to Dr. Moncef Slaoui, head of Operation Warp Speed, the federal effort to accelerate vaccine development, the first Americans could receive the vaccine in mid-December.</p><p>With the vaccine within reach, we turn to more logistical questions: Who will receive the shots first? Who will distribute them? And what could go wrong?</p><p><br /></p><p>Guest: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/by/katie-thomas" target="_blank">Katie Thomas</a>, who covers the drug industry for The New York Times.</p><p><br /></p><p>We want to hear from you. Fill out our survey about The Daily and other shows at: <a href="http://nytimes.com/thedailysurvey?smid=pc-thedaily" target="_blank">nytimes.com/thedailysurvey</a></p><p><br /></p><p>For more information on today’s episode, visit <a href="http://nytimes.com/thedaily?smid=pc-thedaily" target="_blank">nytimes.com/thedaily </a></p><p><br /></p><p>Background reading: </p><ul><li>Promising clinical trials have buoyed hope that the end of the pandemic is in sight. But even if the vaccines are authorized,<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/17/health/coronavirus-vaccine-operation-warp-speed.html?action=click&module=RelatedLinks&pgtype=Article" target="_blank"> only a sliver of the American public</a> will be able to get one by the end of the year.</li><li>In mid-December,<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/24/world/pfizer-vaccine-distribution.html?searchResultPosition=1" target="_blank"> 6.4 million doses of Pfizer’s vaccine</a> are expected to be shipped across the United States in an initial push.</li></ul>