Some scientists expect that a Covid-19 coronavirus vaccine will be ready in record time, but others are skeptical. | Mladen Antonov/AFP via Getty Images

Not all experts are optimistic we’ll have a vaccine by the end of the year. 

When will an effective Covid-19 coronavirus vaccine be ready for production for the general public?

Some top US health officials and researchers now expect one will be approved for use in less than a year. The specific estimates vary, but they say that the current push for a Covid-19 vaccine is unmatched in its scale and speed. With over 140 vaccine candidates being studied, more than one is likely to pan out, they say.

“I am guardedly optimistic that by the end of 2020 we will have at least one vaccine that has been proven safe and effective in a large-scale trial,” Francis