Pence to promote ‘incredible progress’ on a coronavirus vaccine at University of Miami
Vice President Mike Pence is headed to Miami Monday to promote the Trump administration’s progress on efforts to bring a coronavirus vaccine to market.
Pence’s office announced Thursday that he is scheduled to visit the University of Miami next week “to mark the beginning of Phase III trials for a coronavirus vaccine.”
The university announced this month that it was looking for volunteers to participate in a study led by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases COVID-19 Prevention Network in which 1,000 people will be injected with a potential vaccine by Moderna.
The trial, which is expected to begin next week, is part of a 30,000-person study.
During his visit, Pence, the head of the White House’s coronavirus task force, will participate in a roundtable with university leaders and researchers “on the incredible progress of a coronavirus vaccine,” Pence’s office announced in a press release. Pence will speak to the press before returning to Washington.
Pence’s visit is the latest symptom of the increased attention by the White House to the outbreak in Miami, where positive cases and hospitalizations have surged in recent weeks.
U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams visited Miami Thursday and held a press conference at the Camillus House homeless shelter. The previous day, task force response coordinator Deborah Birx warned on a private call that Miami was among 11 cities that should take “aggressive” steps to slow the spread of the virus.
Miami Herald staff writer Michelle Marchante contributed to this report.
This story was originally published July 23, 2020 at 4:34 PM.
