Covid-19: the United States to give 500 million additional doses of vaccine

Europe 1 with AFP 3:57 p.m., September 22, 2021

The United States to purchase and distribute to developing countries an additional 500 million doses of Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine, bringing the total number of doses Washington has pledged to give to more than 1.1 billion, said Wednesday. senior officials of the US administration. US President Joe Biden also wants to set "an ambitious goal", namely that each country, including the poorest, "reach 70% of vaccinations" within a year, during a virtual summit that he will preside during the day, said these sources.

The announcement is to be made officially Wednesday by US President Joe Biden during a virtual summit he is organizing on the fight against the pandemic.

"It's a huge commitment from the United States. For every dose we have administered in this country, we give three to other countries," insisted these sources.

The vaccines will be purchased at cost, and channeled through the international Covax mechanism, according to senior officials.

To date, the United States has already shipped around 160 million doses to over 100 different countries.

One in four humans vaccinated at least once

Wednesday's summit is set to last four hours and bring together, virtually, officials from more than 100 countries, according to senior officials, who did not give further details on who attended. Joe Biden wants, during this event, "an ambitious goal", namely that each country, including among the poorest, "reach 70% of vaccinations", before the next General Assembly of the United Nations, that is to say - say in a year. According to the count from OurWorldInData for example, currently 43.5% of the international population has received at least one dose of vaccine.

But this figure, pulled up by the vaccination race in developed countries, hides gigantic inequalities since the proportion falls to only 2% in the poorest countries.

"This summit aims to declare the beginning of the end of the pandemic", according to American sources, "it will take a lot of work."

"The United States is doing its part and increasing its efforts once again. But we cannot do this alone," they said.

More than 4.7 million dead

The new coronavirus pandemic has killed more than 4.7 million people worldwide since the end of December 2019, according to a report established by AFP.

The WHO estimates, taking into account the excess mortality directly and indirectly linked to Covid-19, that the results of the pandemic could be two to three times higher.

The World Health Organization continues to urge rich countries to distribute more vaccines to vulnerable populations in the poorest countries, rather than providing reminders (doses "boosters") to their own nationals. that the Biden administration is considering.