What are the current plans to distribute COVID-19 vaccines worldwide?
Several groups are working to get shots to poor countries, but they’re falling far short of what’s needed to curb outbreaks around the world.
COVAX is one of the many efforts. It relies on donations from wealthy countries and private funders. The group has missed its own distribution targets largely because it didn’t have the resources to secure vaccine supplies early on in the pandemic.
COVAX had distributed approximately 207 million doses in 138 countries and territories as of mid-August. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this is compared to more than 417 millions doses distributed in the United States.
COVAX was created last year to try and ensure vaccines are distributed fairly and is led by public health agencies including the World Health Organization. COVAX cannot afford enough vaccines so it is relying on donations from wealthy countries. However, most of the promised doses will not be delivered.
Another problem is logistics. COVAX requires countries to demonstrate how they will distribute vaccines and which people are at highest risk, such as health workers or the elderly. Some countries in dire need of vaccines are unable to demonstrate that they have the resources and ability to implement such plans.
Others have stepped in to assist. The African Union purchased 400 million Johnson & Johnson shots for 45 African countries in July. Millions of vaccines have been donated to countries by Russia, China, and the United States. The Group of Seven, which is the largest industrial nation, announced in June that they would donate 1 Billion doses of vaccines to countries in need. The G-7 countries include the United States, Canada, France and Germany.
However, this is still far below the 11 billion WHO doses that are required to end the pandemic.
WHO has asked rich countries to donate more vaccines to protect those at risk of severe illness in poor countries. They also asked them to stop giving booster doses or immunizing children.
Tedros Adhanom, chief of WHO, stated that “We are making conscious decisions right now not to provide protection for those in need.”
