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NEW YORK. – The World Health Organization (WHO) has pressed the 20 most powerful world leaders and pharmaceutical chiefs to reverse the “disgraceful” inequity in global access to Covid-19 vaccines by the fall, in order to avert yet another deadly wave of cases over the winter.
WHO’s Bruce Aylward said the world should be “disgusted” with the imbalance in available tools to fight the pandemic and appealed to the wealthiest nations to focus on helping all countries vaccinate at least 10% of their populations by September. Only 1.1% of people in low-income countries have received at least one dose, due to a lack of supplies.
“I can’t help but think: if we had tried to withhold vaccines from parts of the world, could we have made it any worse than it is today?” Aylward, senior adviser to the WHO director-general and head of the ACT Accelerator initiative, which is aimed at providing pandemic resources to developing countries.
Aylward’s comments come days after after WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called for a moratorium on coronavirus vaccine booster shots until September, urging the G20 to do more to improve access globally.
“I understand the concern of all governments to protect their people from the Delta variant. But we cannot accept countries that have already used most of the global supply of vaccines using even more of it, while the world’s most vulnerable people remain unprotected,” Tedros said.
Facing a dreaded new wave of coronavirus infections fuelled by the Delta variant, the United States and Europe are deploying a barrage of monetary incentives and mandates to convince vaccine holdouts to get off the fence.
And, despite WHO’s plea, momentum is building to dole out booster shots for vulnerable groups; several countries, including Germany and France, have already said they are going ahead with third doses.
In the US, vaccine mandates are gaining momentum. New York, Virginia, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, California and Washington, DC, have directed most public employees to get vaccinated or undergo testing.
Governor Jay Inslee of Washington State went a step further on Monday, saying that workers who refuse to get vaccinated risk losing their jobs.
“We have essentially a new virus at our throats,” Inslee said, referring to the Delta variant. The moves follow President Joe Biden’s announcement that federal workers would face restrictions if they don’t get vaccinated.
The Pentagon said last week it would also seek to make vaccinations mandatory for the nation’s active-duty troops. Dr Anthony Fauci, Biden’s chief medical adviser, said that he thinks vaccines for teachers should be mandated, as fears mount over opening schools to unvaccinated children this fall.
In Europe, visitors to France who have been vaccinated outside of the European Union with authorised coronavirus vaccines are now able to use the country’s health pass to go to restaurants, cafes, bars and other indoor venues, the government announced this week.
In Germany, the government is looking to abolish free coronavirus testing in an effort to push more people to get vaccinated amid a growing case rate in the country.
As wealthy nations tighten their grip on vaccine arsenals – rolling out mandates and incentives – people elsewhere in the world are desperately trying to get their hands on doses.
Thousands of people rushed to vaccination sites in Manila, the Philippine capital, recently ahead of a two-week lockdown and amid mixed messaging that unvaccinated people would miss out on welfare payments. – CNN
Online Reporter