With the number of positive COVID-19 tests skyrocketing across much of the United States, it is clear this global pandemic is not ending anytime soon.

We here on Vancouver Island have escaped pretty much unscathed, with one new case reported July 7 bringing the total to 133 COVID-19 cases for the Vancouver Island Health Authority. There have been close to 3,000 confirmed cases in B.C. to date, with 183 deaths reported as of July 7.

One infectious disease expert says heB次元官网网址檚 confident a vaccine will be available within months.

Dr. Gary Kobinger, director of the Research Centre on Infectious Diseases at Laval University in Quebec, says there are more than 100 possible vaccines in development for COVID-19 around the world. With so many resources and people working on the problem, things are moving very quickly.

B次元官网网址淚 think we have a very high likelihood to see a coronavirus vaccine emerge in the next, hopefully months, meaning many, many months, but not 10 years,B次元官网网址� Kobinger said during a virtual conversation with Gov. Gen. Julie Payette.

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A poll released July 7 by Research Co. suggests that 75 per cent of Canadians would take a vaccine once one becomes available.

The online poll asked 1,000 Canadians at the end of June if they would take a vaccine for the novel coronavirus, which has killed more than 8,700 people and infected over 106,000 in the country since January.

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Pollsters found that men were slightly more likely to agree to a vaccine than woman, at 77 per cent compared to 73 per cent. All age groups were fairly equally matched in their willingness to take the vaccine, at 76 per cent for 18 to 34 year olds, 71 for 25 to 54 year olds and 79 for people aged 55 and older.

Residents of Atlantic Canada and B.C. were the most likely to get the vaccine at 82 per cent and 80 per cent, respectively. Support for taking the vaccine shrunk under 70 per cent in just one province: Alberta.

Would you get a vaccine for COVID-19 when it is available? Take our poll and let us know.