WHO asks COVAX participants to focus on safe and fair distribution of COVID-19 vaccine

WHO (World Health Organisation) has informed that over 170 countries have joined its plan to ensure safe and fair distribution of vaccines across the world. At the same time, it also cautioned that a race to develop an effective vaccine for Coronavirus can lead to public fears about safety. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that the world cannot risk having an effective Coronavirus vaccine that people refuse because they think it is unsafe. 

While speaking about the push to rapidly develop a vaccine for COVID-19, Ghebreyesus said, "We already face challenges with vaccine acceptance for many proven vaccines."

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WHO: 'Safety is important' for COVID-19 vaccine

As the number of COVID-19 cases recorded across the globe crosses the 30 million mark, the race for acquiring the potential doses of the vaccine has grown more intense. Due to this World Health Organisation chief said that it is very important to make sure that the vaccine is safe. Recently, trials of Coronavirus vaccine in Britain were paused after a vaccine trial participant reported illness, while Russia has dismissed all the criticisms from the Western experts regarding its early use of the vaccine. On Thursday, a day prior to its deadline for entry to its COVAX vaccine facility, Tedros said that over 170 countries who have joined gained guaranteed access to the world's largest portfolio of the vaccine candidate. 

"The first vaccine to be approved may not be the best. The more shots on goal we have, the higher the chances of having a very safe, very efficacious vaccine, " he added. 

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What is COVAX?

COVAX is World Health Organisation's global initiative which was launched in April by the global health body in response to the pandemic. COVAX is co-led by Gavi, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), and WHO with an aim of fast-tracking the development and manufacture of COVID-19 vaccines, and to guarantee fair and equitable access for every country in the world.

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Some countries including the United States, Japan, etc have signed their own bilateral deals with pharmaceutical companies to secure millions of doses of vaccines and have refused to become a part of COVAX. In July this year these countries announced their withdrawal from WHO after accusing it of mismanaging the pandemic and siding with the Chinese Communist Party.

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