Biden: vaccine news gives ‘hope’, but a long battle ahead

US President-elect Joe Biden on Monday hailed as cause for “hope” news that a Covid-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech was 90 percent effective, but warned of a long battle ahead.

“I congratulate the brilliant women and men who helped produce this breakthrough and give us cause for hope,” Biden said in a statement, adding that he received advance notice of the announcement Sunday night.

“At the same time, it is also important to understand that the battle against COVID-19 is still months away,” he added, emphasizing the continued importance of wearing masks for the foreseeable future.

READ MORE: Pfizer says Covid-19 vaccine is 90% effective in phase 3 trial