I’m Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. AMA about COVID-19.

Over the years I’ve had a chance to study diseases like influenza, Ebola, and now COVID-19—including how epidemics start, how to prevent them, and how to respond to them. The Gates Foundation has committed up to $100 million to help with the COVID-19 response around the world, as well as $5 million to support our home state of Washington.

I’m joined remotely today by [Dr. Trevor Mundel](https://www.gatesfoundation.org/Who-We-Are/General-Information/Leadership/Executive-Leadership-Team/Trevor-Mundel), who leads the Gates Foundation’s global health work, and [Dr. Niranjan Bose](https://www.linkedin.com/in/niranjan-bose-014b00/), my chief scientific adviser.

Ask us anything about COVID-19 specifically or epidemics and pandemics more generally.

LINKS:

My thoughts on preparing for the next epidemic in 2015: [https://www.gatesnotes.com/Health/We-Are-Not-Ready-for-the-Next-Epidemic](https://www.gatesnotes.com/Health/We-Are-Not-Ready-for-the-Next-Epidemic)

My recent New England Journal of Medicine article on COVID-19, which I re-posted on my blog:

[https://www.gatesnotes.com/Health/How-to-respond-to-COVID-19](https://www.gatesnotes.com/Health/How-to-respond-to-COVID-19)

An overview of what the Gates Foundation is doing to help: [https://www.gatesfoundation.org/TheOptimist/coronavirus](https://www.gatesfoundation.org/TheOptimist/coronavirus)

Ask us anything…

**Proof:** [https://twitter.com/BillGates/status/1240319616980643840](https://twitter.com/BillGates/status/1240319616980643840)

**Edit**: Thanks for all of the thoughtful questions. I have to sign off, but keep an eye on [my blog](https://nam03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gatesnotes.com%2F&data=02%7C01%7Cmeghan.groob%40gatesventures.com%7C89f158e82b9341664f3508d7c6de5283%7Ce38fdd56dd644d67b048e7c0ae321d11%7C0%7C0%7C637196530525855013&sdata=YtACH%2BwpPIG873%2FASg1mndyBEZr7SLbfOf5EIN9HYkg%3D&reserved=0) and [the foundation’s website](https://nam03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gatesfoundation.org%2FTheOptimist%2Fcoronavirus&data=02%7C01%7Cmeghan.groob%40gatesventures.com%7C89f158e82b9341664f3508d7c6de5283%7Ce38fdd56dd644d67b048e7c0ae321d11%7C0%7C0%7C637196530525864971&sdata=VyEWUuDy6rZ8izGpate%2BhBd7SGCnADw6ywxsqBDuVW4%3D&reserved=0) for updates on our work over the coming days and weeks, and [keep washing those hands](https://www.reddit.com/r/perfectloops/comments/fku0ei/keep_washing_those_hands_a/).

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This was his reply when asked whether the 28 months timeline for development of a vaccine can be shortened, and by how much.

Bill Gates:
This is a great question. There are over 6 different efforts going on to make a vaccine. Some use a new approach called RNA which is unproven. We will have to build lots of manufacturing for the different approaches knowing that some of them will not work. We will need literally billions of vaccines to protect the world. Vaccines require testing to make sure they are safe and effective. Some vaccines like the flu don't for the elderly.

The first vaccines we get will go to health care workers and critical workers. This could happen before 18 months if everything goes well but we and Fauci and others are being careful not to promise this when we are not sure. The work is going at full speed.