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The COVAX initiative has 100 COVID-19 vaccine candidates under development and will allow participating countries to vaccinate at least 20 percent of their populations.
The World Health Organization (WHO) announced that 184 countries had joined the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX), aimed at providing at least 2 billion doses of a vaccine by 2021.
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"COVAX represents the largest portfolio of potential COVID-19 vaccines and the most effective way to share safe and effective vaccines equitably across the world," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said during his media briefing.
The COVAX initiative has 100 COVID-19 vaccine candidates under development. Hence, according to the organization, it represents "the largest portfolio of potential COVID-19 vaccines and the most effective way to share safe and effective vaccines equitably across the world."
"On 9 Oct. I shared that 171 countries & economies were part of the @gavi, @CEPIvaccines & WHO-led COVAX initiative for vaccine access.
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) October 19, 2020
I am pleased to announce that now 184 countries have now joined COVAX. The most recent countries joining over the weekend are ���� & ����"-@DrTedros
Although the U.S. refuses to support the scheme that will allow participating countries to vaccinate 20 percent of their populations, recently, China announced it had joined COVAX to ensure equitable production and distribution of a vaccine, especially for developing countries.
The WHO Director-General remarked that "equitably sharing of vaccines is the fastest way to safeguard high-risk communities, stabilize health systems and drive a truly global economic recovery."
The official also warned that "as the northern hemisphere enters winter, we’re seeing cases accelerate – particularly in Europe and North America," but highlighted that health workers now have more experience than they did at the beginning of the pandemic.
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