Coronavirus: COVAX secures 2 bln doses of safe, effective vaccines to roll out – WHO
Geneva, Switzerland (PANA) - The COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) Facility has secured contracts of 2 billion doses of safe and effective coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines to roll out, the World Health Organization (WHO) said here Friday.
This was contained in the opening remarks of WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus at his media briefing on COVID-19 here.
He noted that the current challenge was that rich countries had bought up the majority of the supply of multiple vaccines.
“Going forward, I want to see manufacturers prioritise supply and rollout through COVAX. If I said one thing to people in areas where there are high numbers of cases, it would be to do all you can to avoid mixing with people from other households, especially inside,” Dr. Tedros said.
He described this year as the year of the health and care worker.
“Let’s show our respect and appreciation for health workers by protecting each other and vaccinating all health workers everywhere now,” he said.
The current challenge, he noted, was that at present, 42 countries were rolling out safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines, 36 of these in high-income countries and six in middle-income countries.
“So there’s a clear problem that low-and most middle-income countries are not receiving the vaccine yet.
“This is a problem we can and we must solve together through COVAX and the ACT-Accelerator.”
Dr. Tedros noted that, at the outset, rich countries had bought up the majority of the supply of multiple vaccines.
“Now, we’re also seeing both high and middle-income countries that are part of COVAX, making additional bilateral deals.
“This potentially bumps up the price for everyone and means high-risk people in the poorest and most marginalized countries don’t get the vaccine.
“And some companies and countries have not submitted critical data, which we need to issue Emergency Use Listings, which blocks the whole system of procurement and delivery,” he said, adding: “Vaccine nationalism hurts us all and is self-defeating.”
Dr. Tedros said vaccinating equitably “saves lives, stablises health systems and will lead to a truly global economic recovery that stimulates job creation” and also help limit the virus’ opportunity to mutate.
He said the current “variants show that the virus is doing its best to make itself more suitable to ongoing circulation within the human population”.
“This is normal of every virus but at present we’re helping it thrive if we don’t reduce transmission and vaccinate equitably.
“Going forward, I want to see manufacturers prioritise supply and roll out through COVAX,” he said, urging countries that had contracted more vaccines than they would need, and were controlling the global supply, to also donate and release them to COVAX immediately to roll out quickly.
“No country is exceptional and should cut the queue and vaccinate all their population while some remain with no supply of the vaccine.
“Science has delivered, let’s not waste the opportunity to protect lives of those most at risk and ensure all economies have a fair shot at recovery,” he stated.
"People need to know that they can personally stop the virus, and they need to know that the virus can stop with them.
"Because the virus thrives when people gather in groups - especially inside where people are less inclined to physically distance, wear masks and hand wash and where windows aren’t open and there is not adequate ventilation, which means everyone is sharing the same air.
"In this difficult period, it is best to meet virtually but if you have to meet others, do it carefully and with the right precautions. Meet outside wherever possible,” he said.
“None of us are exceptional and the more we can break the chains of transmission and stop the virus ourselves, the more we will avoid severe cases and tragic deaths.
“This year is the year of the health and care worker. Let’s show our respect and appreciation for health and care workers by protecting each other and vaccinating all health workers everywhere now,“ Dr. Tedros stated.
-0- PANA RA 8Jan2021
