Vice President Mike Pence and other top health officials briefed reporters on the administration’s latest efforts to contain the coronavirus outbreak, as four more deaths were announced in Washington state Monday. Top health officials said the current timeline for a vaccine being available to the public is likely the end of this year or beginning of next, after the president met with top pharmaceutical industry executives Monday afternoon.
A total of six people have died from the virus in the U.S. as of Monday, and there are 43 confirmed domestic cases — although outside experts think the real number of infected Americans is likely much higher. The vice president said that within the next 12 hours, all direct flights to the U.S. from all airports in Italy and South Korea will be screened for the virus, which will include multiple temperature readings.
The presser begins around the 28:40 mark:
