U.S., COVAX support COVID-19 vaccinations worldwide [video]
The United States is the largest contributor to COVAX, a global initiative to equitably distribute COVID-19 vaccines worldwide.
COVAX is the vaccines pillar of the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator
The ACT Accelerator is a ground-breaking global collaboration to accelerate the development, production, and equitable access to COVID-19 tests, treatments, and vaccines. COVAX is co-led by Gavi, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and WHO. Its aim is to accelerate the development and manufacture of COVID-19 vaccines, and to guarantee fair and equitable access for every country in the world.
Why we need COVAX
Developing a vaccine against COVID-19 is the most pressing challenge of our time - and nobody wins the race until everyone wins.
The global pandemic has already caused the loss of hundreds of thousands of lives and disrupted the lives of billions more. As well as reducing the tragic loss of life and helping to get the pandemic under control, introduction of a vaccine will prevent the loss of US$ 375 billion to the global economy every month. Global equitable access to a vaccine, particularly protecting health care workers and those most-at-risk is the only way to mitigate the public health and economic impact of the pandemic.
Source: WHO
In March, the United States government contributed $2 billion in support of COVAX, but more funding is needed.
“People everywhere should have access to rigorously tested, safe, and effective COVID-19 vaccines,” Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken said. “The faster we do all this, the more lives we save, and the quicker our communities and economies can recover.”
Source: Video and Agenda US State Department
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