Vice President Mike Pence is headed to Miami Monday to promote the Trump administrations progress on efforts to bring a coronavirus vaccine to market.

Pences office announced Thursday that he is scheduled to visit the University of Miami next week to mark the beginning of Phase III trials for a coronavirus vaccine.

The university announced this month that it was looking for volunteers to participate in a study led by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases COVID-19 Prevention Network in which 1,000 people will be injected with a potential vaccine by Moderna.

The trial, which is expected to begin next week, is part of a 30,000-person study.

During his visit, Pence, the head of the White Houses coronavirus task force, will participate in a roundtable with university leaders and researchers on the incredible progress of a coronavirus vaccine, Pences office announced in a press release. Pence will speak to the press before returning to Washington.

Pences visit is the latest symptom of the increased attention by the White House to the outbreak in Miami, where positive cases and hospitalizations have surged in recent weeks.

U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams visited Miami Thursday and held a press conference at the Camillus House homeless shelter. The previous day, task force response coordinator Deborah Birx warned on a private call that Miami was among 11 cities that should take aggressive steps to slow the spread of the virus.

Miami Herald staff writer Michelle Marchante contributed to this report.

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Pence to tout incredible progress on a coronavirus vaccine next week in Florida - Tampa Bay Times