WISCONSIN (SPECTRUM NEWS)— Peggy Hamburg holds a lot of experience under her belt as a former FDA health commissioner and former health commissioner of New York City.

“Actually for more than two decades have been working on how to prepare and respond to outbreaks of infectious disease. I have been worried that one day we might see a global pandemic like this. I didn’t know what it would be or when it would be and now that we are in the midst of it it seems a little surreal,” Former FDA health commissioner and former health commissioner of New York City, Dr. Peggy Hamburg said.

One of the biggest questions on a lot of Americans' minds is where are we with a vaccine or some sort of medication across the US. Hamburg says it’s a timely process but she knows there is a lot of focus on finding both at this time.

“There is a full out push to try and develop drugs to treat COVID-19 and also to develop a vaccine. It is ultimately a vaccine that will get us over the finish line to get back to a more normal life because it will protect us from infection. But in the meantime, we will probably get a drug sooner and that can help us to take care of patients to reduce the symptoms of the disease, and reduce the duration of the disease, and help the patients who are acutely ill,” Hamburg said.

Now as for how soon a vaccine or a drug could be passed by the FDA? She says it's a timely process that cannot just be rushed.

“We are making progress but you have to test these things. It isn’t the case in a crisis that anything is better than nothing. It isn’t useful if it doesn’t work, even if you are really sick. An untested drug can make you worse and a vaccine that doesn’t work in fact makes you more vulnerable because you think you are protected and you are not,” Hamburg said.

Another shift we may see be considered is more people wearing masks. Of course, none of the essential masks that healthcare workers desperately need, but other sources of masks.

“More and more we are realizing that even people who are asymptomatic can spread it and it may also stay in the air a little bit longer than we thought so there may be real benefits to people wearing masks when they go outside,” Hamburg said.

All in all, she has hope we may see a breakthrough of some sort in the near future.

“It is exciting to see the science moving forward. Of course, we all wish it would move more quickly but I do think we are going to see some promising results that will make a meaningful difference and some of it will happen sooner rather than later,” Hamburg said.