The World Health Organization says more than 170 countries around the world have joined its global plan for a fair distribution of vaccines, but warns that the race to develop shots could raise public safety concerns.
A vaccine trial in the UK was suspended’
earlier this month after a partner contracted the disease, while Russia has
rejected warnings from Western experts against the early use of its vaccine
candidate.
The head of the WHO, Tedros Adhanom
Ghebreyesus, said in a pre-recorded commentary when he spoke about the rapid
development of vaccines.
"We cannot risk an effective vaccine
for COVID-19 that people deny because it is unsafe."
Ahead of Friday's deadline for its COVAX
vaccine facility, Tedros said more than 170 countries have joined that have
"access to the portfolio of the world's largest vaccine candidates."
The WHO had earlier said that 92 low-income
countries were seeking assistance through the scheme, and about 80 high-income
countries had expressed interest, but some still had their intentions up to the
deadline. Had to be’ verified.
The WHO and the GAVI Vaccine Alliance are
leading the CovAX scheme, which aims to receive and supply 2 billion doses of
approved vaccines by the end of 2021.
But some countries, including the United
States, which have secured their supplies through bilateral deals, have said
they will not join the quacks.
"The first approved vaccine may not
be the best," Tedros added during a webinar hosted by the National
University of Singapore. "The more shots we have on purpose, the more
likely we are to get a safer, more effective shot."
READ MORE
