Covid-19: United States increases international aid for vaccines

In Augusta, Maine, Doctor Sydney Sewall prepares a syringe containing a vaccine against Covid-19, December 21, 2021. AP - Robert F. Bukaty

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As the wave of the Omicron variant has reached the United States and the number of cases is on the rise, the country announces that it is increasing its international aid to fight Covid-19.

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With our correspondent in Washington,

Guillaume Naudin

Over half a billion dollars.

This is the complement that the American government will add to its international aid to fight against the coronavirus and in particular the skyrocketing of the

Omicron variant

.

In total, US aid now stands at nearly $ 20 billion since the start of the

Covid-19 pandemic

.

This aid is distributed among various multilateral agencies and in particular the World Health Organization, which has returned to the center of American strategy

since the arrival of the Biden administration

.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken explains that this financial aid is intended so that the other aid, donated vaccines, effectively turns into vaccination and saves lives.

The United States has so far donated 330 million doses to more than 110 countries around the world.

Joe Biden likes to remember that it is more than all the other countries put together.

Its foreign minister calls on his counterparts in other countries to strengthen and keep their commitments in the fight against the pandemic, and to act together quickly.

The US is providing an additional $ 580M to support 7 multilateral organizations' COVID-19 work.

Building on over 330M vaccine doses shared with the world & $ 19.6B in health & humanitarian assistance, we will continue to elevate our global ambition to end the COVID-19 pandemic.

- Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) December 21, 2021

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  • United States

  • Coronavirus

  • Vaccines

  • Health and medicine

  • Joe biden