WHO calls for support of ‘COVAX’ vaccine scheme

The World Health Organization has urged countries to support COVAX vaccine scheme.

While calling for the support on Thursday July 30, 2020, WHO’s chief scientist, Soumya Swaminathan, said that any country that supports the COVAX financing initiative has a better chance of getting a successful COVID-19 vaccine.

Swaminathan stated that the more countries that joined COVAX, a scheme designed to guarantee fast and equitable access globally to COVID-19 vaccines, the greater its chances of success.

More than 75 countries have expressed an interest in joining COVAX, which is co-led by the GAVI vaccines alliance, the WHO and the CEPI Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations.

Its aim is to deliver 2 billion doses of effective, approved COVID-19 vaccines by the end of 2021.

Some global health agencies are concerned about wealthier countries going it alone in the race for a coronavirus vaccine, striking deals with drugmakers to secure millions of doses of promising candidates for their own citizens.