This archive report was first published on 19 June 2020.
Published on June 19, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) is working towards a goal of having approximately 2 billion doses of a COVID-19 vaccine by the end of 2021, with a focus on 'priority populations.'
Speaking at a virtual news conference in Geneva, Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the WHO's chief scientist, expressed caution, stating, 'It's a big 'if' because we don't have any vaccine that's proven.'
Despite this, Dr. Swaminathan remains optimistic about the progress being made in vaccine development, with numerous candidates currently undergoing testing. She hopes that at least one or two of these vaccines will be ready for use by the end of 2021.
The WHO recommends that countries prioritize immunizing vulnerable populations, including the elderly, those with underlying health conditions, and key workers. However, Dr. Swaminathan emphasized that countries must come to a consensus on which populations to prioritize.
Several developed countries, including the United States, Britain, France, Germany, and the Netherlands, have already secured deals with pharmaceutical firms to obtain vaccine supplies for their citizens.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has announced a donor conference scheduled for June 28 to raise funds for vaccine access in developing countries, emphasizing that there is no room for 'me first' in the fight against the pandemic.
