Updated: June 27, 2020 5:51:01 am
Speaking to a virtual media conference, Swaminathan said commitments from high-income and upper-middle-income countries were needed to obtain 950 million doses through the COVAX Center and ensure that vaccines can be delivered as quickly as possible.
Developing a Covid-19 vaccine is currently the most pressing challenge facing the world, and such an undertaking may require funds of up to $ 18.1 billion to deliver two billion doses by the end of 2021, said Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, a scientist. head of the World Health Organization. Friday.
Swaminathan said more than 200 vaccine candidates are at different stages of development and 15 are in human clinical trials, adding that there is hope that the vaccines will be ready in 12-18 months.
Speaking to a virtual media conference, Swaminathan said commitments from high-income and upper-middle-income countries were needed to obtain 950 million doses through the COVAX Center and ensure that vaccines can be delivered as quickly as possible. In response to questions about the top vaccine candidates, Swaminathan said that AstraZeneca has the highest overall commitment and was the top candidate in terms of time.
“They have advanced to Phase 2 testing and are planning Phase 3 in many countries. Moderna also has plans to move to Phase 3 clinical trials in mid-July. However, until we see clinical trial results, the efficacy and safety of these candidates remains unknown. Therefore, this underscores the need to invest in the clinical development of multiple candidate vaccines and maximize the chances of success, “Swaminathan later told The Indian Express.
The experimental vaccine from the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca is the first to enter the final stages of clinical trials. The vaccine is also being tested in South Africa and Brazil, with the Serum Institute of India investing $ 100 million to mass-produce a billion doses for India and other low- and middle-income countries.
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