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Original title: WHO: Two billion doses of the new corona vaccine are guaranteed to end the pandemic. Source: WHO
The Director General of the World Health Organization, Tan Desai, said today that the global vaccine association “New Crown Vaccine Access Mechanism” (COVAX) has ensured that almost 2 billion doses of existing and candidate vaccines will be available for use. world.He welcomed this and noted that while the new corona pandemic is expected to end, we must not relax our vigilance.
Pfizer-Biotech’s new corona vaccine is the world’s first vaccine available to combat this pandemic
The huge vaccine stockpile means the goal is to ensure that the 190 countries participating in the crown’s new vaccine procurement mechanism can plan to start providing vaccines in the first quarter of 2021.
Methodical progress
By the middle of next year, the COVID-19 vaccine procurement mechanism will provide appropriate vaccines to health and social assistance workers in all participating countries upon request. By the end of 2021, all other participating countries will be able to obtain enough vaccines to cover 20% of their population and further increase supply in 2022.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in this online statement that this is astonishing news and a milestone in the field of global health.
He said: “Now is the time to feel relieved when the new corona pandemic is expected to end, but be careful not to let us relax. We all have a responsibility to take action, even during this holiday period, to ensure that we and the others Security. “
He stressed that with the arrival of today’s news, the light at the end of the tunnel has gotten brighter, “but we haven’t got there yet. We can only go to the end of the tunnel together.”
Ready to take off
UNICEF has extensive experience in vaccine distribution. The organization said today that it plans to ship up to 850 tons of new corona vaccine per month in 2021, which is more than double its shipments of conventional vaccines. UNICEF stated that most vaccines can be delivered using existing commercial flights, but other options and charter flights will also be considered when necessary.
UNICEF Executive Director Faure said: “This is a historic task of daunting proportions. The scale of the task is daunting and it has never been as important as now, but we are prepared.”
With the support of the Global Immunization Alliance, UNICEF will purchase and support the installation of 70,000 cold chain refrigerators in low-income countries by the end of 2021, which will help promote the new corona vaccine that must be stored between 2 and 8 degrees Celsius. UNICEF said that almost half of the refrigerators will use solar energy.
WHO Director-General Tan Desai said it is important to understand that vaccines will complement, not replace, existing tools to slow the spread of the virus and save lives. But he also pointed out that vaccines are the key to slowing the spread of this disease; Since the start of the new corona pandemic, low-income countries may lose the opportunity to obtain vaccines, which is why the new corona vaccine procurement mechanism was established.
“The best deal”
The new corona vaccine procurement mechanism is part of the fast-track plan for new corona tools, which comprehensively includes fair access to tools such as diagnostics, treatment, and vaccines.
On Tuesday, Bruce Aylward, senior adviser to the WHO Director-General, called the acceleration plan “the best deal.” He noted that the $ 28 billion cost of the acceleration plan will be paid in full almost overnight, because if the pandemic is “tamed,” it is expected to bring immediate economic growth.
Tedros himself pledged to promote universal health coverage when he took office as WHO Director-General in 2017. He said the new crown vaccine should not be reserved for the lucky few.
Hope for all
Tedros said: “The scene of people being vaccinated gives us hope, but this should be the hope of all people, not the hope of some people. For most of the past year, we have been working with world leaders.” Talk to vaccine developers to ensure that when vaccines from these developers are available, all countries can use them fairly. “
Ahead of Friday’s announcement, the crown’s new vaccine procurement mechanism has ensured that more than 1 billion doses of vaccine will be provided in 2021. The new announcement includes an agreement for the advance purchase of 170 million candidate doses. to AstraZeneca / Oxford vaccines, and a memorandum of understanding for the advance purchase of 500 million doses of Johnson & Johnson vaccine candidates.
The new corona vaccine procurement mechanism is jointly led by the Epidemiological Prevention Innovation Alliance, the Global Immunization Alliance, and the World Health Organization. Partners include vaccine manufacturers, UNICEF, the World Bank, civil society organizations, and other organizations.
