BERLIN:
The secretary general of the United Nations on Friday stressed that as wealthy nations roll out the coronavirus vaccine for their citizens, the world also needs to ensure it is available for “everyone, everywhere.”
In an address to Germany's parliament, Antonio Guterres praised the researchers from Germany's BioNTech who teamed up with US giant Pfizer and beat rivals in the race to put the first thoroughly vetted vaccine on the market.
He said that every German should be “very proud of their achievements.” “Our challenge now is to ensure that vaccines are treated as a public good — accessible and affordable to everyone, everywhere," he said according to his prepared remarks.
“A people's vaccine.”
He said the UN was also committed to providing news and advice people can trust and working to build confidence in the vaccine “guided by science, grounded in facts” to combat what he called the “virus of misinformation.”
“Across the globe we have seen how populist approaches that ignore science have misled the public,” Guterres said. “Coupled with false news and wild conspiracies, things have become manifestly worse.”
He also heaped praise on Chancellor Angela Merkel, saying her “no-nonsense, steady, compassionate and wise guiding hand” had helped steer Germany through the pandemic.
“I commend your early and decisive steps driven by science, local data and local action that suppressed transmission of the virus and saved lives,” he said.
WHO’s Covax gets access to 2bn doses
Covax, the WHO programme to help get vaccines to all countries in need, has access to nearly 2 billion doses of “promising” vaccine candidates, officials said on Friday. Covax’s arrangements include AstraZeneca, J&J and the Serum Institute of India.
“We are in discussions with Pfizer and Moderna. We’re hoping to be able to reach agreements. But we were not ready this morning,” said Richard Hatchett of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations.