It’s been well over a year since the first case of COVID-19 hit the United States. After nearly 500,000 people died from the disease, President Joe Biden has high hopes that the country will go back to the way things were prior to the coronavirus outbreak.

On Friday (Feb. 19), President Biden paid a visit to a Pfizer vaccine manufacturing facility in Michigan. During a speech he made at the facility, Biden stated that he believes that the nightmare is almost over. He’s convinced that, if the number of hospital patients continues to dwindle, the country should be back to normal by the end of the year.

“I believe we’ll be approaching normalcy by the end of this year and this Christmas will be different than last but I can’t make that commitment to you,” President Biden said. “There are other strains of the virus.”

The 46th POTUS’ optimism is duly noted, but he doesn’t offer any guarantees. The president went on to admit that he wanted to be straight up with the American people. He cites the recent fluctuation in weather conditions, manufacturing delays, and reports of new strains of the virus could prolong the country’s overall recovery. President Biden asserted that there will be bumps along the way. Nonetheless, he’s confident that by masking up and taking the vaccine we will beat the coronavirus once and for all very soon.

“If there is one message to cut through to everyone in this country it is this – the vaccines are safe,” President Biden said. “Please. For yourself, your family, your community, your country. Take the vaccine when it’s your turn and available. That’s how to beat this pandemic.”

Watch the full clip from his speech in Kalamazoo, Michigan below.