US President Joe Biden announces international Covid-19 vaccine sharing plan

US President Joe Biden, with Vice President Kamala Harris, speaks on COVID-19 response and vaccinations in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington on Wednesday. Pic/AFP

US President Joe Biden on Thursday announced his plans to allocate 75 per cent - nearly 19 million of the first tranche of 25 million doses - of unused Covid-19 vaccines through the UN-backed COVAX global vaccine sharing programme to countries in South and Southeast Asia and Africa.

Vice President Kamala Harris spoke to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and three other world leaders and informed them that the US will begin sharing the first 25 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines to their countries. President Biden provided details on how the US will allocate the first 25 million of the vaccines to lay the ground for increased global coverage and to address real and potential surges, high burdens of disease, and the needs of the most vulnerable countries. "At least 75 percent of these doses - nearly 19 million - will be shared through COVAX, including approximately 6 million doses for Latin America and the Caribbean, approximately 7 million for South and Southeast Asia, and approximately 5 million for Africa," Biden said.

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"The remaining doses, just over 6 million, will be shared directly with countries experiencing surges, those in crisis, and other partners and neighbours, including Canada, Mexico, India, and the Republic of Korea," he said. The Biden administration had been under pressure to send the excess Covid-19 vaccines with the US to nations like India, which are facing severe vaccine shortages. "We are sharing these doses not to secure favors or extract concessions. We are sharing these vaccines to save lives and to lead the world in bringing an end to the pandemic... And we will continue to follow the science and to work in close cooperation with our democratic partners to coordinate a multilateral effort, including through the G7," Biden added.

Covid-19 Vaccines Global Access, COVAX, is a worldwide initiative aimed at equitable access to Covid-19 vaccines directed by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, and the World Health Organisation.

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4,06,970
No. of new cases reported globally in the past 24 hours

17,12,22,477
Total no. of cases worldwide

36,86,142
Total no. of deaths worldwide

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