Infectious diseases expert Dr. Anthony Fauci says the upcoming coronavirus vaccine could possibly wind up being effective only 50% of the time.

Fauci – Effective Vaccine
More than five million people have now reportedly contracted the virus in the US and killed more than 160,000. The U.S. has reported about a quarter of all infections worldwide.

“We don’t know yet what the efficacy might be. We don’t know if it will be 50% or 60%. I’d like it to be 75% or more,” Fauci said in a webinar hosted by Brown University. “But the chances of it being 98% effective is not great, which means you must never abandon the public health approach.”

Fauci continues to stress the importance of social distancing, washing hands and wearing masks even as Moderna Inc’s COVID-19 vaccine could produce definitive data in November or December of this year.

President Donald Trump is hopeful the country could have a coronavirus vaccine before the Nov. 3 election.