No, Trump Didn’t Say Roche Medical Announced Vaccine for COVID-19

WHO officials confirmed that while efforts are underway, no vaccine for the virus has been developed so far.

With coronavirus outbreak strengthening its grip on people across the world, researchers and doctors are working around the clock to find a cure or preventive vaccine for the virus.

CLAIM

In light of this, a video is being shared on various social media platforms with a claim that US President Donald Trump has announced that Roche Medical Company will launch a vaccine for coronavirus by Sunday, 22 March. The claim further states that millions of doses of the vaccine are ready.

TRUE OR FALSE

The Quint can confirm that while the video has not been altered in any form, the claim with which it is being circulated is absolutely misleading.

Contrary to the claim, FDA approved Roche Medical Company’s diagnostic test for COVID-19 and the company has not developed any vaccine for the novel coronavirus.

WHAT WE FOUND

A Google keywords search using the terms ‘Donald Trump Roche Medical Company’ directed us to the White House Press Conference, from where the video in circulation has been trimmed.

The trimmed version of the video starts from 18.44 minutes and ends at 19.15 minutes. On watching this, it becomes clear that Roche medical company developed diagnostic kits for coronavirus. There is no mention of any vaccine.

When we looked up ‘Roche Medical Company COVID-19 diagnosis’ on Google, we came across several news reports which stated that the company’s diagnostics kits got FDI’s nod.

According to a report by Financial Times, “The Trump administration approved a high-volume test made by the Swiss pharmaceuticals group Roche and offering grants to two companies that are developing a screening test for coronavirus that could diagnose the virus in less than an hour.”

The Quint also reached out to officials at the World Health Organisation (WHO), who told us that while researchers, doctors and health experts are working on it, no vaccine for COVID-19 has been developed so far.

Hence, the claim that Trump administration, in collaboration with Roche Medical Company has developed a vaccine for the virus, is false.

(With inputs from SM Hoax Slayer)

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