Experts are hopeful that a vaccine against the SARS-CoV-2 virus will become available sooner rather than later.

Many experts say the only way to bring an end to the pandemic is through an effective vaccine?

Just half a year since SARS-CoV-2 was first discovered, 17 vaccine candidates are already in human trials, with dozens more still being developed.

An effective coronavirus vaccine might be the only way to bring a stop to preventative measures, like social distancing and face masks.

Thanks to the Operation Warp Speed vaccine acceleration program, Fauci said he expects the US will have "hundreds of millions of doses" of the vaccine ready to deploy by early 2021.

Moderna has been making headlines for its coronavirus vaccine development -- both positive and negative.

Another vaccine is under development at Oxford University in the UK.

A vaccine is a medical treatment that protects you against a disease like the coronavirus or smallpox?

Statistically, only about 6% of vaccine candidates ever make it through to market, according to a Reuters special report, and not just because they don't work.

However, this particular coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, has some unique traits that may help researchers working on a vaccine.

For example, some viruses, like the flu, mutate quickly and often, which is why there's a new flu vaccine every year.

Either way, it's thought that the virus has not yet mutated significantly enough to disrupt vaccine development, nor is it expected to, though it's too soon to say for certain, and there are still many unknowns about the virus' behavior

Until there's a vaccine, expect safety precautions like face masks and social distancing to be a part of everyday life

Without a coronavirus vaccine, the road back to "normal life" may be harder and longer, but not necessarily impossible. Coronavirus testing, including antibody testing, and contact-tracing efforts would need to intensify, experts say. 

Lockdown measures are already lifting throughout the world, although with a potential second wave of coronavirus infections, cities could bring back certain quarantine measures, including requiring face masks and social distancing