Quebec could have a coronavirus vaccine by early 2021: Dr. Horacio Arruda

According to Quebec’s director of public health, a COVID-19 vaccine could arrive in Quebec as early as January or February 2021.

As part of the province’s daily COVID-19 briefings in the capital, Horacio Arruda commented on a statement made by Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the United States National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Earlier this week, Fauci said the virus will persist in the states until 2022.

Arruda said he wouldn’t go that far in terms of predictions and said he wouldn’t be surprised if a vaccine arrived in Canada and Quebec by early 2021.

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Arruda made a point to stress that the vaccine would be prioritized to the most vulnerable and citizens at risk.

He said that a vaccine doesn’t mean the end of the virus and said Quebecers would still need to maintain physical distancing guidelines and wear masks.

Les efforts qu’on fait tous nous ont préservés du pire. Mais avec la situation ailleurs dans le monde, on voit qu’on n’est pas à l’abris si on n’est pas prudents. Suivez notre point de presse en direct : https://t.co/17dCOCI89Q

— François Legault (@francoislegault) October 29, 2020

“I don’t want to sound hopeless,” said Arruda. “I think we have to go one step at a time.”