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US to share millions of Covid-19 shots with Latin America, Africa and Asia
Of the 55 million remaining doses, some 41 million would be shared through COVAX, the White House said, with approximately 14 million going to Latin America and the Caribbean, some 16 million to Asia, and roughly 10 million to Africa.
In a bid to fulfill their commitment towards global Covid-19, the White House on Monday announced the plan to share more than 50 million US coronavirus vaccine doses, out of which 75% of the doses will primarily go to Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and Africa. The global distribution will be carried out under the COVAX international vaccine-sharing programme.
The global aid plan fulfills US President Joe Biden's commitment to share 80 million US-made vaccines with countries around the world.
The White House in its statement said: "As we continue to fight the Covidd-19 pandemic at home and work to end the pandemic worldwide, President Biden has promised that the United States will be an arsenal of vaccines for the world," the White House said in a statement.
Of the 55 million remaining doses, some 41 million would be shared through COVAX, the White House said, with approximately 14 million going to Latin America and the Caribbean, some 16 million to Asia, and roughly 10 million to Africa.
The other 25%, or roughly 14 million doses, would be shared with "regional priorities," including Colombia, Argentina, Iraq, Ukraine, the West Bank and Gaza.
"For all of these doses, those most at risk, such as health care workers, should be prioritized, based on national vaccine plans," the White House said.
As greater numbers of people get vaccinated in the United States, the Biden administration has turned its focus increasingly to shipping vaccines abroad. International partners are eager to get even more.
The Biden-Harris Administration will not use its vaccines to secure favours from other countries, the White House asserted.
The White House said, in addition to sharing doses from its own vaccine supply, the Biden-Harris Administration is also committed to working with US manufacturers to produce more vaccines to share with the world.
To that end, ahead of the G7, Biden announced that the US will purchase half a billion Pfizer doses and donate them to 92 low- and lower middle-income countries and members of the African Union.
Earlier this month, Biden had laid out his priorities for the first 25 million doses from that pledge.
Here is how the US is sharing vaccines globally:
Through COVAX, the US shares approximately 14 million shots with the Latin America and the Caribbean which includes nations like Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Paraguay, Bolivia, Uruguay, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Haiti, and other Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries, Dominican Republic, Panama, and Costa Rica.
In Asia, the US shares approximately 16 million shots. This includes nations like India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Maldives, Bhutan, Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Laos, Papua New Guinea, Taiwan, Cambodia, and the Pacific Islands.
With Africa under COVAX, the US shares approximately 10 million shots and the recipient countries will be selected in coordination with the African Union.
The US also is also sharing Covid-19 vaccines directly with at least 30 other countries like Colombia, Argentina, Haiti, other CARICOM countries, Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, Panama, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Cabo Verde, Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Yemen, Tunisia, Oman, West Bank and Gaza, Ukraine, Kosovo, Georgia, Moldova, Bosnia
