Pentagon Says US Expected to Battle COVID-19 Pandemic for 6 Months to Year

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The fight against the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in the United States is expected to last between six months and a year, US Undersecretary of Defence for Acquisition and Sustainment Ellen Lord said during a press briefing on Thursday.

"I think the nation is going to be battling COVID for six months or a year", Lord told reporters.

Lord said the Defence Department has several pressing objectives to fulfil, including providing enough personal protective equipment to non-medical personnel, refilling the national stockpile, preparing for a potential COVID-19 outbreak this fall or any other pandemic that may occur in the future.

The United States must ensure that there are security and resiliency in the medical-industrial base, Lord added.

The United States has confirmed more than 1,042,874 COVID-19 cases with more than 61,200 deaths caused by the disease as of Thursday morning, according to the Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Centre.