Governor Andrew Cuomo announced this week that the state will create an independent clinical advisory task force to evaluate any COVID-19 vaccine.
This comes as questions loom about the viability of a vaccine, and the prospect of the federal government rushing one to benefit President Donald Trump.
President Trump has made promises in recent weeks about a vaccine being ready by Election Day. However, even Dr. Anthony Faucci has contended that a vaccine will be ready this year.
“We’re going to put together our own review committee headed by the department of health that will advise me,” said Cuomo. “We have the best hospitals and research facilities on the globe in this state. We’re going to put together a group for them to review the vaccine so I can look at the camera and I can say to New Yorkers it’s safe to take.”
Cuomo also announced Thursday he is appointing a committee to help handle logisitics of vaccine distribution.
He says the goal of the advisory board is to ensure that the state has the best plan overall for vaccinating the population against COVID-19.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to [email protected].