UK, G7 leaders will agree to expand global Covid-19 vaccine production to provide at least one billion doses to the world through sharing and financing schemes.
The news came after the US announced that it would donate 500 million vaccines to 92 low- and middle-income countries.
The United Kingdom, which is hosting the meeting of the world’s major powers in southwest England, said it would donate at least 100 million extra doses over the next year, with five million starting in the coming weeks.
Richer countries have been urged to step up their efforts to share Covid-19 shots with developing countries, with charities warning that the current situation is dangerous.
This leads to ‘apartheid vaccine.’ Britain has been criticised for not making donations to poorer countries, with orders for over 400 million doses.
But in nearly two years, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson vowed to see that change soon on the eve of welcoming the world leaders from the group of seven rich nations at their first summit.
“We are now capable of sharing our excess doses with those who need them as a result of the success of the vaccine programme in the UK,” he said.
A statement by Downing Street stated. – “Humanitarian duty” In the meantime, the EU Member States have agreed to donate a minimum of 100 million doses by 2021 – each with a commitment of 30 million from France and Germany.
French President Emmanuel Macron called for vaccine-producing pharmaceutical groups to donate 10% of their production to poverty-stricken nations. On Thursday US President Joe Biden welcomed a “historic” moment in fighting the panBiden told reporters at the beginning of his first trip to the U.S. as president, ‘This concerns our responsibility, our humanitarian obligation to save as many lives as possible.’ Biden stated that the move was of the US interest because of the risk of variants while the White House stated that “the global fight against the pandemic would be overcharged.”
The World Health Organisation, which warned Europeans not to fall into custody since levels of vaccination remain too low to prevent another wave of infection, had previously uncovered a lasting challenge to defeat the virus.
Although pockets of the developed world have achieved success in combating the disease, the gains are fragile, and billions of people, primarily the poor, remain unprotected. According to an AFP count, over 100 million people in the 27-nation European Union, or 22.6 percent of its population, have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19.
The contrast with developing countries was highlighted further on Thursday, when South Africa’s National Institute For Communicable Diseases announced that his country had technically entered the third wave, with over 9,000 cases reported in the previous 24 hours.
On Thursday, India reported a global record of more than 6,000 Covid-19 deaths in a single day, after one state dramatically revised its data upwards, fueling fears that the official tally of nearly 360,000 deaths, the world’s third-highest toll, is significantly understated.
The World Health Organization warns against complacency – The United States has also been chastised for stockpiling large quantities of unused vaccines. However, with more than 60% of Americans having received at least one vaccine, Washington has moved to reclaim global leadership with a massive donation that will be channelled through Vaccines.
The doses will begin shipping in August, according to the White House. Washington has dismissed suggestions that it is engaged in a so-called vaccine diplomacy competition with Russia and China, describing its initiatives as a return to multilateral action following the nationalist isolationism of Biden’s predecessor, Donald Trump.
Some lockdown restrictions in Europe have recently been relaxed, notably ahead of the Euro football competition, which begins on Friday.
