G7 leaders will agree to expand global Covid-19 vaccine manufacturing to provide at least one billion doses to the world through sharing and financing schemes, the UK announced on Thursday, reports Reuters.
- They added that the country will donate at least 100 million surplus doses within the next year, and 5 million by the end of September, beginning in the coming weeks, primarily for use in the world's poorest countries.
- British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said, “As a result of the success of the UK's vaccine programme we are now in a position to share some of our surplus doses with those who need them.” At the G7 Summit I hope my fellow leaders will make similar pledges so that, together, we can vaccinate the world by the end of next year and build back better from coronavirus,” he added.
Of note: 80% of the jabs will go to the Covax scheme, which aims to ensure equitable distribution of vaccines around the world, with the remainder shared bilaterally, writes The Times of India.
The big picture: This commitment comes on the heels of widespread criticism faced by richer countries for not sharing vaccine doses with the developing world, per NDTV.
- In May 2021, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom had gone as far as to call this practice “vaccine apartheid”. Read more on Business Standard.
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