Even an available COVID-19 vaccine will not mark the end of the pandemic, according to state Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine.

“They're not going to be a magical cure of the coronavirus and not immediately end the pandemic,” said Levine in a virtual call with media Thursday.

Currently, Operation Warp Speed, implemented by the Trump administration, has been speeding along vaccine trials with the goal of producing “300 million doses of safe and effective vaccine” with the first doses available by January.

Levine said there are about six serious contenders that could meet that goal, but they are all still in trials to investigate their efficacy and side effects.

In October, a few of these studies were halted while researchers investigated potential side effects.

Levine said there's a rigorous analysis process of making sure the vaccines will be safe for the public, but she acknowledged there are some who may feel leery of taking a new vaccine.

“We have no plans to make the vaccine mandatory,” Levine said.

However, she stressed the role of the COVID-19 vaccine will hopefully mirror that of the flu vaccine.

By its widespread use, it could offer herd immunity for those whom may not be able to take the vaccine themselves, but this could take months to achieve, according to Levine. She said in the meantime, people will still need to use masks, socially distance and practice good hygiene.

“We do not know what percentage of people need to be vaccinated to decrease community spread enough,” she said. “We will only know that as the vaccines are distributed. We only know that from practice.”

According to Levine, there is little that can be done until a clear victor in the vaccine race is declared and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approves it for Emergency Use Authorization.

But state officials for months now have been planning for various distribution avenues, all of which depend on a lot of variables based on the type of vaccine that reaches the finish line. Some of these variables include the number of doses, its efficacy in seniors and storage temperature.

One vaccine being studied, submitted by Pfizer, uses two doses and must be stored with dry ice to keep it at sub-zero temperatures. Another key vaccine in trial, submitted by Johnson and Johnson, would only use one dose and could be frozen for long-term shelf life or refrigerated for a shelf life of a few months.

Each variable could affect the state's distribution plans. Levine said multiple shells of plans have been formed, but all of them will have three phases.

She said the only certainty is that Phase 1 will include health care providers and those working with COVID-19 patients.

From there, the remainder of Phases 1 and 2 will direct vaccines to those at the highest risk of developing serious problems from COVID-19. But this will depend on who can safely take the vaccine that comes out. Phase 3 would include the general public.

“We don't know what the time table of those phases are,” Levine said. “We will be prepared, so that when we get the ball, we're going to have all those distribution plans laid out.”