China News Service, Beijing, June 18 (Jiang Li) The Group of Seven (G7) announced after a summit held in the UK a few days ago that it will provide 1 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccine globally by the end of next year.

However, both the number and speed are far from the WHO's goal of "vaccinating at least 70% of the world's population by 11 billion doses of vaccines by the time the G7 summit next year" is set, and this is a huge problem for many people suffering from the epidemic. For some countries, it’s just a drop in the bucket.

　　First, the gap between the vaccine assistance program declared by the G7 and the global demand is too large.

Even in the second half of 2022, "this one billion plan can only cover about 10% of the population of low- and middle-income countries."

The scope of G7 vaccine assistance cannot form an effective barrier against the epidemic, especially for most people who need two doses of vaccine.

　　Second, the plan seems "no sense of urgency."

Many countries are facing a "speed of life" contest with the new coronavirus, and G7 has promised to provide the claimed number of vaccines by the end of next year.

The spread of the new coronavirus has exceeded the speed of vaccine distribution.

According to Oxfam, a non-governmental development and aid organization, it will take 57 years for low-income countries to reach the same level of protection as G7 countries based on current vaccination rates.

　　The epidemic knows no borders.

Faced with a surge of cases and a constantly mutating virus, all countries in the world are a community of shared destiny.

If there is no feasible plan, this so-called assistance is just a "self-deception" approach.

As the outgoing UN Deputy Secretary-General Mark Lowcock said: "The sporadic, small-scale, charity-like supply of vaccines from rich countries to poor countries is not a serious plan, and it will not help end. epidemic."

G7's vaccination aid promise looks like a drop in the ocean

By John Lee

(ECNS) - The G7 leaders promised over 1 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses by the end of next year at the summit in Cornwall, England, on Sunday. Nonetheless, in either quantity or speed, the plan is a long way from the 11 billion doses that the World Health Organization has estimated would be needed to vaccinate 70 percent of the world's population by next year. For many coronavirus-stricken countries, the promise looks like a drop in the ocean.

First, there is a huge gap between the G7's promise and the demands from countries around the world. Even by a year from now, this plan could cover only “about 10 percent of the population in low- or medium-income countries”, according to the outgoing UN aid chief Mark Lowcock. Therefore, the G7 vaccine pledge cannot establish an immunity barrier, especially for most people who require two jabs.

Second, the G7 completely failed to show the necessary urgency. In the brutal battle against COVID-19, some countries are racing against death, while the limited amount of vaccine can only be completed by the end of next year. The global spread of COVID -19 has outpaced the global distribution of vaccines. At the current pace, it would take low-income countries 57 years to reach the same level of protection as those in G7 countries, according to the international non-governmental aid organization Oxfam.

The virus knows no borders. In the face of spiking COVID-19 infections and constantly mutated strains of coronavirus, the globe should become a community with a shared future. Without a visible approach, this so-called aid is nothing but "self-deluding ." As Lowcock said, "These sporadic, small-scale, charitable handouts from rich countries to poor countries is not a serious plan and it will not bring the pandemic to an end."