TIPPECANOE COUNTY, Ind. (WLFI) - A COVID-19 vaccine could make its way to Indiana within the next few months. This is if the FDA grants emergency approval for vaccines from pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer and Moderna.

Within the past two weeks, Pfizer and Moderna have both shown promising results from trials of their COVID-19 vaccines.

The results find both vaccines to be more than 90% effective at preventing the virus.

"The time couldn't come quick enough for a vaccine," said Richard Kuhn, Director of Purdue's Institute of Inflammation, Immunology and Infectious Disease.

With promising results from recent studies, both Pfizer and Moderna are seeking approval for emergency use of their vaccines.

According to Kuhn, this could happen within a few weeks.

"Both Pfizer, which is submitting now, and Moderna, which should submit within the next week or two, is going to be approved in mid to early December," said Kuhn.

Once approved, distribution could begin.

Purdue's Distinguished Professor of Virology Suresh Mittal said this will be a major turning point in fighting the virus.

"The number of infection will go substantially down in a few weeks time once the vaccination will start," said Mittal.

Most states will likely follow the CDC's distribution plan.

Mittal said those working on the front lines of fighting the virus will be first the receive the vaccine.

"Health care people will get the first doses, and then all the other first responders, the police, firefighters," said Mittal.

After, high risk and older aged individuals will receive the vaccine. Last will be the general public.

Lafayette resident Josh Johansen believes it's important everyone gets the vaccine once it's available.

"Not everyone can get the vaccine. Not everyone will be able to get it and to protect those people, we have to get the vaccine ourselves," said Johansen

West Lafayette resident Mikel Berger said having a vaccine available would be a step in the right direction.

"I don't expect a vaccine or any other measure to, you know, totally prevent the virus or anything like that. But anything that can get back towards more of the way things used to be is a good thing," said Berger.

Pfizer estimates they will be able to produce 50 million doses by the end of this year.

In 2021, they estimate up to 1.3 billion doses.