WHO Warns Nations Not To Hoard COVID-19 Vaccine, Work Together To End Pandemic

Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic took over the world and our lives, we¡¯ve been waiting for a day for a vaccine to take down the novel coronavirus.

Today, several vaccine contenders are in the race to cure our world of this pandemic and some have gotten real close too. Amidst this race, WHO issues a last-ditch call for nations around the world to join a global vaccine pact.

Reuters

Reported first by Reuters, nations that hoard possible COVID-19 vaccines while excluding others will deepen the pandemic, according to WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. He issued August 31 as a deadline for nations to join ¡®COVAX Global Vaccines Facility¡¯ to share potential vaccine cures with other developing nations.

This notification has come after countries in the EU, Switzerland and the US are undergoing deals with companies testing potential vaccines. WHO chief fears that national interest could severely impact global efforts in fighting COVID-19.

He said in a statement, ¡°We need to prevent vaccine nationalism. Sharing finite supplies strategically and globally is actually in each country¡¯s national interest.¡± The European Commission, on the other hand, urged EU states to ignore the COVAX initiative, on doubts regarding its cost and speed.

As of now, 92 poor nations have become a part of the COVAX facility as well as 80 wealthier nations. However, there are still several nations that are waiting for the August 31 deadline before making a commitment as terms of the facilities are yet to be finalised.

Bruce Aylward, who leads the WHO¡¯s ACT Accelerator initiative to speed supplies of COVID-19 diagnostics, drugs and vaccines, said, ¡°We are not twisting arms for people to join. We¡¯ve had more and more discussions with a broader and broader group of players ... to work through what might be the barriers to collaborating - issues around the price, issues around timing, issues around national expectations.¡±

Reuters

As of now, over 150 vaccines are currently being developed for COVID-19, from which two dozen are undergoing human trials, a handful in final-stage trials. Only 9 vaccine candidates are currently a part of COVAX. WHO states that vaccine makers who signed bilateral agreements would only better their chances by joining hands with COVAX.

Mariangela Simao, a WHO assistant director for drug and vaccine access explained, ¡°Which one will be the candidate that will be successful, we don¡¯t know yet. By joining the facility at the same time that you do bilateral deals, you¡¯re actually betting on a larger number of vaccine candidates.¡±