This archive report was first published on 15 June 2021.
WHO Warns Virus Moving Faster Than Vaccines Amid G7 Doses Pledge ¶
Published on June 14, 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that the COVID-19 virus is moving faster than the vaccines, despite the G7's pledge to share a billion doses with poorer nations.
According to the WHO, the G7's vow to share a billion doses with poorer nations is simply not enough, as more than 11 billion shots are needed to achieve the goal of vaccinating at least 70% of the world's population by next year.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus welcomed the G7's announcement but emphasized that the virus is moving faster than the global distribution of vaccines. He stated, 'This is a big help, but we need more, and we need them faster. Right now, the virus is moving faster than the global distribution of vaccines.'
With the imbalance between the G7 and low-income countries standing at 73 to one in terms of doses administered, the WHO is urging the G7 and G20 to take immediate action to address the issue of vaccine equity.
Medical charity Doctors Without Borders has questioned the sincerity of the G7 in pursuing vaccine equity, calling for more clarity around the actual number of doses donated and the time it will take to translate their pledges into real impact and access.
The G7's anti-pandemic battle plan also includes commitments to avert future pandemics, but observers have voiced skepticism about their willingness to follow through on this point.
Others have stressed the need to quickly resolve the issue of COVID vaccine patent protections to boost production. Full-fledged negotiations towards a possible suspension of intellectual property protections for COVID vaccines have just begun at the World Trade Organization.
Human Rights Watch has also criticized the G7's failure to unequivocally support a temporary waiver of global intellectual property rules, calling it a 'deadly status quo.'
The WHO and partners have highlighted the desperate need for funds to overcome the pandemic, with more than $16 billion still needed this year to fully fund efforts to speed up production and access to COVID-19 diagnostics, treatments, and vaccines.
