2 bn doses of Covid-19 vaccine to be ready by next yr: WHO chief scientist
Business Standard
June 18, 2020
June 18, 2020
Dr Soumya Swaminathan said that WHO recommends immunizing people at risk first, including the elderly and those with underlying conditions like diabetes or respiratory disease, as well as key workers
The chief scientist at the World Health Organization says the
agency hopes there will be about 2 billion doses of a vaccine against Covid-19
by the end of next year that would be reserved for priority populations.
Swaminathan told a press briefing: It's a big if because we don't have
any vaccine that's proven. She said that because of the numerous vaccine
candidates currently being tested, WHO hoped at least some might prove ready
for use next year. Swaminathan said that WHO recommends immunizing people at
risk first, including the elderly and those with underlying conditions like
diabetes or respiratory disease, as well as key workers. But Swaminathan noted
that there was still no strategy regarding any possible global distribution of
Covid-19 vaccines. WHO will propose these solutions, she said. Countries need
to agree and come to a consensus. That's the only way this can work.
Numerous
developed countries including Britain, France, the Netherlands, Germany and the
U.S. have already struck deals with pharmaceuticals to secure vaccine supplies
for their citizens first. WHO and partners have called for drugmakers to
suspend their patent rights on any effective Covid-19 vaccine and for billions
of dollars to buy vaccines for developing countries.
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