In what comes as news of positivity and hope to the boost the spirits of mankind in their relentless fight against the lethal COVID19 virus, US President Donald Trump on Sunday exuced confidence the United States will have a coronavirus vaccine ready by the end of this year.

"We are very confident that we're going to have a vaccine at the end of the year, by the end of the year," Trump said in a Fox News "town hall" show broadcast from the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC.

The American President also said he would urge the reopening of schools and universities in September, saying "I want them to go back."

The vaccine prediction moves up the timeline that has been discussed as the United States and other countries race to be the first to bring out a way to prevent COVID-19.

Trump insisted he would be happy for another country to beat US researchers to the medicine, saying "if it's another country I'll take my hat off." "I don't care, I just want to get a vaccine that works."