Washington, November 14: New York would not be delivered with COVID-19 vaccine immediately after it is available, said US President Donald Trump. He blamed New York Governor Andrew Cuomo for the likely delay, accusing him of casting apprehensions over the capability of United States' pharmaceutical companies who are involved in the vaccine production.

Trump's remarks came at a press conference he addressed at the White House on Friday. The President claimed that the New York Governor has expressed doubts over the efficacy of the potential vaccine, and would therefore bar his administration from delivering the vaccine right away to the state residents. Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine: Is it Effective? When is it Expected to be Launched? Here's All You Need to Know.

"(Cuomo) will have to let us know when he’s ready for it because otherwise, we can’t be delivering it to a state that won’t be giving it to its people immediately," Trump told reporters.

The President said that he was "pained" to know that New York residents would not be benefitting right away from the likely release of vaccine. "He (Cuomo) doesn’t trust where the vaccine is coming from," he added.

The New York Governor, while speaking to leading news channels after Trump's remarks, said the President was spreading misinformation. New York is ready to vaccinate its population after a vaccine clears the safety decks, he said.

Cuomo claimed that the comments by President prove his anti-New York approach, as the state registered a mandate against him in the presidential election. His "threat" to withhold the vaccine from New York would further dent his credibility as a President, the Governor added.

"It’s his credibility issue. It’s the fear that he politicised the health process of this nation, which is a well-founded fear," Cuomo said while speaking to MSNBC.

A mass vaccination drive in the United States could begin from April, Trump had earlier said. The vaccine could be launched as early as December-end this year, but would only be authorised for emergency use in the initial period. Pfizer, which is developing the vaccine in coordination with Germany's BioNtech, is expected to be the first in the US to launch the vaccine against coronavirus.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 14, 2020 05:57 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).