Lancet editor: Trump 'simply wrong' about October vaccine

Medical journal The Lancet's chief editor has said that US President Donald Trump's statement that a Covid-19 vaccine could be delivered by the end of October is 'simply wrong'.

In a Skype interview with CNN, Richard Horton, editor-in-chief of The Lancet, said there will not be a vaccine available for public use by the end of October and President Trump is simply wrong about that.

"If we make a mistake and licence a vaccine too early - just think - we have already got a growing anti-vaccine movement, which is extremely disturbing. We can't cut corners. There will not be a vaccine available for public use by the end of October," Horton was quoted as saying to CNN.

"President Trump is simply wrong about that. I have no understanding why he is saying it. Because his advisers will surely be telling him that that's just impossible," Horton added. Horton also said the results of a Russian-developed vaccine are "encouraging" but that it would be "highly premature to think that this is the basis for a successful vaccine for public use," in part since its study involved a very small number of volunteers.