The vaccine is our way out of this pandemic

The British government said that half of its adult population had received at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, marking a milestone in the government’s campaign to reach all people over the age of 18 by the end of July.

British Health Minister Matt Hancock said on Saturday that the number of people who received the vaccine on Friday was the highest since the start of the country’s vaccination program in early December.

Hancock said in a video posted on his Twitter account:

“It is a wonder. I would like to express my sincere thanks to all participants, including half of all adults who applied. It is very important because this vaccine is our way out of this epidemic ”.

But the celebration comes amid growing concern that rich countries are not sharing scarce vaccine supplies with developing countries.

“While Britain should be proud of the success of the vaccination campaign, it is time to start thinking about the rest of the world,” said Dr. Jeremy Farrar, director of Wellcome, a group of health policy experts based in London.

Farrar said in a statement issued after Hancock’s announcement that Britain has secured enough doses to vaccinate its population twice, and it is time to start sharing this surplus with the countries that need it most, emphasizing that providing vaccines to the world It is a scientific and economic necessity.

“If the virus spreads uncontrollably in large parts of the world, we risk new strains emerging for which none of our vaccines and treatments will work, leaving us all vulnerable. Science has given us an exit strategy, but it will only be successful if its benefits reach as many people as possible around the world. “

The Wellcome Foundation is a co-founder of the Alliance for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, which is part of the effort to ensure equitable access to coronavirus vaccines around the world.