US president says he will meet with pharmaceutical companies later Monday to discuss possible developments for cure.
U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday said his government has asked pharmaceutical companies to “accelerate” their efforts to create a coronavirus vaccine.
His remarks came at the Oval Office alongside Colombia’s President Ivan Duque before reports that six people have died of the disease in Washington state.
“We are working very hard with the [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] CDC, with everyone on a subject that has become a big subject,” Trump said, emphasizing that the U.S. and its professionals are doing “very well”.
Noting that he will meet the pharmaceutical companies later on Monday afternoon, Trump said: “We have a big meeting with the biggest companies. Really, the most powerful companies — hopefully the smartest companies — anywhere in the world when it comes to drugs and vaccines, because we’re talking about a vaccine.”
“Maybe a cure; it’s possible. So we’ll see about that. But we’re talking about a vaccine,” he added.
Trump also said that his administration asked companies to “accelerate whatever they’re doing, in terms of a vaccine.”
Asked whether it was safe for him to continue to hold campaign rallies amid coronavirus outbreak, Trump responded: “Well, these were set up a long time ago. And others are. I mean, you could ask that to the Democrats because they’re having a lot of rallies. They’re all having rallies. That’s what they’re doing. They’re campaigning.”
“I think it’s very safe” to hold rallies,” Trump added.
