To many scientists and political authorities, the development of a vaccine against Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) will be the way to restore normality to civil life in this time of a devastating pandemic. Expectations for a vaccine are high while the case numbers continue to rise. As of mid-August 2020, more than 20 million people have been infected and more than 760 000 lives have been lost worldwide. The threat of this virus to health, the economy and to society is so great that the wish for a fast track vaccine is understandable, but how realistic is it? This survey article tries to give an overview of vaccine candidates in development, including preclinical and clinical testing, and it mentions some of the societal problems of vaccine acceptance.