covid-19 task force
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The COVID-19 task force of the U.S. Agency for International Development will stop its operations, according to its internal memo.

The note said that as they approach the COVID-19 task force's deactivation on Sept.9, the entire team is ensuring that there would be a smooth transition of key functions back to Bureaus and Independent Offices.

The decision came as the pandemic continuously spread, with the death toll nearing 190,000 in the U.S. and 900,000 worldwide.

The White House has mostly stopped its pandemic-related briefing. The top infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci and Deborah Birx have been mostly out of sight.

An administration official said there are worries on how the lack of a coordinating task force would affect the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The official, who refused to be named, said that now everyone will be fighting as there would be no central place.

Another official said that the task force had too broad a mandate to be effective.

The official said that it was far too large and bureaucratic.

Acting USAID Administrator John Barsa said during his testimony in the U.S. Congress this summer that several of the task force's responsibilities would be handled by a new planning arm called "Over the Horizon."

"While USAID's COVID-19 Task Force has managed the near-term challenges directly related to the pandemic, Over the Horizon will perform research, conduct outreach, and prepare analyses around key strategic questions to help the Agency prepare for lasting challenges to the development and humanitarian landscape in the medium to long term," he was quoted.

Meanwhile, every drug-making company participates in the race to find the most effective, guaranteed safety, the COVID-19 vaccine.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention earlier asked the states to be ready to distribute the COVID-19 vaccine by Nov. 1.

However, Fauci said it is more likely that a vaccine will be ready by the end of the year.

Infectious disease experts and scientists have said they are worried that the vaccine approval process in the U.S. could be affected by politics.

On Tuesday, nine drugmakers released a letter vowing to "uphold the integrity of the scientific process."

Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla told NBC's "TODAY" that they saw it critical to come out and repeat their commitments.

Bourla said that they would develop their products to develop their vaccine using the highest ethical standards.

Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar tried to ease the concern surrounding the possible vaccines' review process.

Azar said that it has nothing to do with elections and is concerned about delivering safe and effective vaccines to Americans as quickly as possible.

Azar said that whether it is in October or November, it is all about saving lives but meeting the FDA standards of safety and efficacy.

Leading the Trump administration's Operation War Speed initiative, Dr. Moncef Slaoui said that a vaccine ready for public distribution in November is "extremely unlikely."

The FDA has earlier said that it would authorize a coronavirus vaccine as long as it is safe and at least 50 percent effective.

Check these out:

Government Wants COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Ready by November

White House Repeatedly Denies CDC to Hold Public Briefings on COVID-19

McEnany: White House COVID-19 Task Force Will No Longer Brief Public Despite Over 2 Million Cases