COVID-19: Oxford vaccine creator calls for donations to help global inoculation

The co-creator of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine has called on people to donate money to support coronavirus vaccination in poorer countries. Professor Sarah Gilbert, a leading researcher at the University of Oxford, stressed that vaccine was developed and produced for the world, not just Britain. Her remarks came while speaking to Sky News, wherein she revealed her support for the country ‘Arm in Arm’ campaign which urges people to contribute to the WHO relief fund when they start inoculation.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has repeatedly called out rich nations for practising ‘Vaccine Nationalism’ and asked them to refrain from hoarding vaccine shots. As per a report by Sky News, for every dose of vaccine administered in lower-middle-income nations, rich countries get 23 jabs. Last month, WHO stressed that 95 per cent of the vaccine doses administered so far have been limited to only 10 countries.

Meanwhile, talking about the global immunisation, Gilbert said that she was “happy” to support the new initiative to get COVID vaccines to as many people as possible. Other experts supporting the UK’s new campaign have warned, "no country is protected until all countries are".

Read: WHO Chief Says World On Brink Of 'catastrophic Moral Failure' As Rich Nations Hog Vaccines

Read: COVID-19: WHO Deplores 95% Of COVID-19 Vaccine Doses Limited To 10 Countries

'catastrophic moral failure'

This comes as WHO chief warned that the world was on the “brink of catastrophic moral failure’ if rich countries hog COVID-19 vaccine doses while poorest suffer. Tedros Adhanom Gebreyesus has many times called upon rich countries to refrain from practising vaccine nationalism and ensure equitable distribution. However, a recent report by WHO’s European Brach has revealed that most of the vaccine doses were being delivered only in 10 nations including the US, Britain, Israel amongst others.

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Previously, the UN agency had asserted that 95 per cent of the vaccine doses administered so far have been limited to only 10 countries. In a statement later, the European branch of the health agency also listed out the top benefactors naming the US, the UK, Israel, United Arab Emirates, Italy, Russia, Germany, Spain and Canada as the recipients of most doses. WHO has been quite vocal about its aim to vaccinate the poor and vulnerable populations across nations and has staunchly opposed “vaccine nationalism.”