Why didn't we have a COVID vaccine long ago?

I read a story from the New York Times that scientists have been working on a vaccine that could protect humans from ALL types of coronavirus strains, and that some researchers were getting close to the solution several years ago. But a lack of funding slowed or stopped most of the labs looking at the problem.

The good news is that the new reality -- where humans encounter more and more coronavirus types that jump from animal species -- has brought more attention and money to this research.

I was glad to be reminded that even in a country that contains a sizable number of anti-science people and in a time of rampant conspiracy nonsense, there are serious people studying serious solutions to the world's problems... sometimes way ahead of those problems actually appearing widely.

One goal of the modern university is to provide support for this sort of long-range thinking and dreaming and experimenting. Reading about the historic cold snap that has hit much of the country and all the problems with the electric grid, public safety, and buildings designed for "normal" weather, made me think about considering things that we CAN'T do much about versus things we CAN take on.

Freak weather (or maybe the weather weirdness is just a feature of our changing climate?) is something that simply happens, and human resources can't counter the phenomenon.

But humans can devise more effective electric grids, enhanced emergency services, "smart" highways and vehicles that can sense black ice, etc., and so much more that could avoid the worst effects of the weather that occurs.

Perhaps the U.S. needs a Department of Future Challenges that could advocate for more investment in research that won't pay off for a decade or more.