WHO ANNOUNCES WHICH WILL BE THE FIRST COUNTRIES TO RECEIVE CORONAVIRUS VACCINE! DETAILS

The World Health Organization (WHO) proposed on Thursday that COVID19 vaccines should be allocated in two phases. In the first case, all countries should receive proportional distribution in order to reduce the overall risk whereas in the second, the global health agency suggests that they should be considering the populations’ threat and vulnerability as factors. 

The WHO recently established COVAX global vaccine facility which was a joint procurement programme to increase the speed of vaccine development and production and also to ensure that all countries get fair and equitable access to the vaccine. 

Tedros Ghebreyesus, WHO’s director general told the media that frontline workers in health social care will be getting the vaccine first. Even adults over 65 years and the most vulnerable sections will be getting access to the vaccine.

“A phase 1 allocation that builds up to 20% of the population would cover most of the at-risk groups," said Tedros, adding stabilizing health systems and rebuilding the global economy would not be possible without protecting the highest risk people from the virus.

The move is also aimed at discouraging ‘vaccine nationalism’, a phenomenon of hoarding of covid-19 vaccines by wealthier nations for their citizens by striking pre-purchase deals with manufacturing pharmaceutical companies once their clinical trials prove successful.

“I am deeply concerned about the potential for vaccine nationalism to exacerbate both the pandemic and the inequalities of our world," said Tedros.

“As new diagnostics, medicines and vaccines become available, it’s critical that countries don't repeat the mistakes early on in the response, when some countries hoarded supplies," he said.

“In a bid to prevent vaccine nationalism, WHO earlier this week again invited wealthier nations to join the COVAX global vaccines facility before 31 August for sharing vaccine candidates with developing countries. As many as 75 countries have submitted expressions of interest to WHO to protect their populations and those of other nations through joining the COVAX Facility,” Livemint reported.