Good news but let's be cautious. These tests are not complete and manufacturing still needs to ramp up. The logistics of this are not small. Let's remember, these vaccines must be kept at -80 degrees celsius in order to function. My father works for a company that is designing freezers for them, and trust me: it's a long, complicated process.
It's hopeful to hear Fauci give that timeline, but hoping the vaccines will be ready by then is no guarantee. We need to prepare for long lines, shortages, and impatience. Let's also keep in mind: this vaccine has been shown to prevent sickness in the recipient but has not proven whether or not they can still carry it. This could mean that spreading the virus is still possible, and the vaccinated could, in theory, spread it to those who are unvaccinated or that 10% who are vaccinated but were not protected (which, assuming every American gets the vaccine, would be approximately 35 million people still vulnerable for Covid in the US alone). Now, if 90% of the people who get the vaccine become immune, will the virus easily spread? Not at all. But it won't necessarily go away entirely, and that risk will still be there, albeit far diminished. A vaccine isn't a silver bullet: it's a tool to be used in conjunction with masks, hand washing and physical distancing for bringing this vaccine down. Is it an enormous, game-changing tool? Yes, but still not a silver bullet that will end the pandemic instantly.
I'm not at all saying not to get excited or pour too much cold water on this. Will we win the battle against Covid? Yes. This is the good news we've been waiting for. But we all need to remember this is a long process and will continue to be. Though we're all running out of patience, we need to still be patient, because this isn't over yet.
I'm just speaking in general, but won't priority for who gets the first doses be given to health care workers and to the most vulnerable in society (those elderly, or with sicknesses/pre-existing conditions)?
And since the majority of the remaining people that catch it can shrug if off like a bad cold....I don't know, maybe Spring/Summer of next year is still a good timeframe for some sort of "return to normal"?