The World Health Organization said Friday it did not expect widespread immunisation against the novel coronavirus until mid-2021, despite growing expectations in the US and beyond that a vaccine could be released within weeks.

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Across the world, governments are hoping to announce a vaccine as soon as possible and roll out treatments for COVID-19, which has killed nearly 870,000 people and infected well over 26 million.

The UN health agency welcomed the fact that a "considerable number" of vaccine candidates had entered final stage Phase III trials, which typically involve tens of thousands of people.