The hope for a vaccine is because there is nothing else that will rid us of the virus with any certainty.
Some were very optimistic that a vaccine may be developed by the end of the year. However, there are many types of coronavirus and none of them, as yet, have a vaccine that can successfully prevent them. I'm sure many will remember SARS which was a different strain of coronavirus in 2003 - They are still trying to develop a vaccine against it.
Some good news has come out today though.
https://www.itv.com/news/2020-07-15/...-robert-peston
https://www.standard.co.uk/business/...-a4499111.html