VR,
I suspect that you are only looking at 1 side of the solution, a vaccine to prevent people catching the virus.
Another way forward is to establish effective treatments to cure those with the virus. It may be easier to progress more quickly with finding a cure as those already in ICU and facing grim odds may be willing to try experimental drugs to help find that life saving treatment. Some countries seem to have a much higher success rate than others, with time the various strategies can be examined and compared. Hopefully there will be time over the summer to prepare for a second phase in the autumn.