WHO hopes COVID-19 vaccine will be provided to low-income countries in February

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January 12, 2021

The WHO has doubled its orders to the vaccine-producing companies under the COVAX programme

A logo is pictured on the World Health Organization (WHO) headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. — Reuters/File


GENEVA: The coronavirus vaccine is likely to be provided to poor and lower-middle-income countries in February, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has expressed hope.

WHO's Senior Adviser Bruce Aylward said on Monday that the agency will be able to launch COVID-19 vaccines in poor and lower-middle-income countries in February through its COVAX programme.

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“Over 40 countries have now begun vaccinating against COVID-19. However, all of that vaccination, or virtually all, was in high income or middle-income countries so far,” he said. “We have got to see vaccines going to lower and lower-middle-income countries too.”

He said the COVAX programme could begin vaccinating people in February, adding that there has been an ongoing effort to speed up the process so that vaccinations in poor countries could take place this month.

The United Nations have doubled its orders to the vaccine-producing companies under the COVAX programme.

Meanwhile, Palestine has contacted four vaccine-producing companies, including a Russian one, for getting the vaccine.

Read more:WHO asks patients to take two doses of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in 21-28 days



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