Federal vaccine development sites ill-suited to counter covid-19 epidemic

Nearly a decade ago, the U.S. government investedheavily in four sprawling facilities that officials said could rapidly make vaccines and other lifesaving medicines if America were struck by an outbreak of infectious disease or a biological attack. But as the nation confronts the coronavirus pandemic, none of the sites located in Florida, Maryland, North Carolina and Texas havedeveloped or are close to delivering medicines to counter the outbreak, according torecords, government officials and others familiar with the facilities.