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New Zealand has signed a $ 27 million agreement to guarantee Covid-19 vaccines for half the population, if an international effort to create a vaccine is successful.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Monday, while announcing that the country would lower alert levels for Covid-19 next week, said that the Cabinet had agreed to sign a legally binding agreement to purchase any vaccines emerging from COVAX facilities.
“This is one of the key steps we will take to ensure New Zealanders have access to a safe Covid-19 vaccine when one is available,” Ardern said.
New Zealand said it would join the COVAX facility in July. The global facility is run by the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization, a public-private organization made up of members such as the World Health Organization, UNICEF, and the World Bank, among others.
Hagen Hopkins
New Zealand said it would join the COVAX facility in July.
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“Installing COVAX ensures that Covid-19 vaccines are equitably distributed to all participating countries, around the world … This investment will give us the option to purchase from a diverse portfolio of candidate vaccines should one be successful, ”Ardern said.
Ardern said the Cabinet had set aside “hundreds of millions of dollars” to enter into such deals, and other advance purchase agreements would likely be signed.
“I’m often asked, ‘What will make a difference in our border setup?’ … One of the main factors will be a vaccine. “
Foreign Minister Winston Peters said on Monday that New Zealand had signed an agreement to invest an initial $ 27 million in the COVAX facility’s efforts to create a Covid-19 vaccine.
“It will act as an advance purchase, should any of the candidate vaccines be successful,” he said in a statement.
“The agreement will ensure that New Zealand receives enough vaccines to cover up to 50 percent of the population of New Zealand and the Kingdom, which includes Tokelau, the Cook Islands and Niue.”
Ryan Anderson / Stuff
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Monday that the cabinet had signed the advanced purchase agreement.
More funds would be needed to purchase that many vaccines, if the COVAX facility succeeds in producing one.
“The exact amount of additional funds is not yet known,” Peters said.
The investment in the COVAX facility was part of the government’s broader Covid-19 vaccine strategy, including a $ 15 million contribution to research from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, $ 10 million for the vaccine research in New Zealand and $ 5 million to improve manufacturing capacity in New Zealand. Zeeland.
