COVID-19 Coronavirus: Johnson, 5% of vaccines purchased by UK to Africa. Appeal by Christian Aid for developing countries

A few hours after Emmanuel Macron pledged to give 5% of all COVID-19 vaccines to Africa, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, too, promised that the UK would donate its surplus doses to poorer countries. The prime minister, who was criticised by many charities for failing to specify how many vaccines would be donated and when, is due to speak at the first virtual G7 summit which, for the first time, will also be attended by US President Joe Biden. According to the British media, the UK purchased four times as many vaccines as its population needs, namely over 400 million doses of seven different vaccines. Of them, AstraZeneca and Pfizer are currently being administered. The prime minister will also call on the heads of state of Italy, France, Germany, Japan, Canada, and the US to increase their funding for the UN’s COVAX programme to ensure that COVID-19 vaccines are fairly distributed. On the eve of the G7, Christian Aid, the ecumenical Christian charity supported by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, asked wealthier countries to call on pharmaceutical companies to share their COVID-19 vaccine formula, technology and intellectual property with the rest of the world, so that enough vaccines can be made, not just for the richest countries.
Valentina Bombelli