US health official: Widespread Zika vaccine not likely to be available for years

Peter Martinez
Updated
The White House Is Asking for $1.8B to Counter the Zika Virus
The White House Is Asking for $1.8B to Counter the Zika Virus

(Reuters) -- U.S. health officials said on Monday that a widespread vaccine to combat the Zika virus will likely not be available for years.

READ MORE: White House seeks $1.8B in emergency funds for Zika virus

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told reporters during a briefing at the White House that initial steps are under way but health officials believe it is "unlikely to have vaccine that's widely available for a few years."

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