UNICEF Urges UK To Share 20% Of Available COVID-19 Vaccines With Low-Income Countries
Faizan Hashmi Published May 12, 2021 | 06:40 PM
LONDON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 12th May, 2021) The UK Committee for the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) on Wednesday called on the government to start sharing 20% of its available COVID-19 vaccines with low-income countries from June, in order to prevent further spread of the coronavirus variants and aid global recovery from the pandemic.
According to UNICEF UK, the United Kingdom is expected to have 347 million doses available by the end of 2021, while its 66.7 million inhabitants account for less than 1% of the world's population, so once every adult in the country has been vaccinated there would be enough surplus to fully immunize 50 million people globally.
"The UK has done a fantastic job in rolling out Covid-19 vaccines to more than half of its adult population and we should all be proud of what has been achieved. However, we can't ignore that the UK and other G7 countries have purchased over a third of the world's vaccine supply, despite making up only 13% of the global population - and we risk leaving low-income countries behind," Joanna Rea, director of advocacy at UNICEF UK, said in a statement.
She claimed that unless the UK and the rest of the world's seven richest economies start sharing their COVID-19 vaccine surplus with other countries, the UK will not be safe from the disease.
The UK government has already pledged to share its vaccine surplus through COVAX, an initiative created by the World Health Organization and other organizations for equitable and affordable access to COVID-19 vaccines, but according to the charity's official donations should start in June at the latest.
"Put simply, surplus dose sharing is a matter of life or death. We need the UK Government to deliver on their pledge to share doses -and for that to start now if there is any hope of ending this pandemic," she said.
As of Tuesday, 35.5 million people in the UK had received their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine as part of the vaccination campaign that began in December.
The government's plan is that all the adult population, estimated at 53 million, would be offered a vaccine by the end of July.
Related Topics
Recent Stories
Bismah Maroof announces immediate retirement from international cricket
Malala expresses unwavering support for Gaza people
Selection committee dissolved over Pakistan women cricket team's poor performanc ..
Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz in police uniform at Chung police center
Currency Rate In Pakistan - Dollar, Euro, Pound, Riyal Rates On 25 April 2024
Today Gold Rate in Pakistan 25 April 2024
Mired in crisis, Boeing reports another loss
Session Awarding Ceremony 2024 held at Cadet College Muzaffarabad
Austrian ski great Hirscher to make comeback under Dutch flag
Pakistan, Japan agrees to convene 'Economic Policy Dialogue'
FM Dar conveys deepest sympathy on torrential rains devastation in UAE
Spain PM Sanchez says weighing resignation after wife's graft probe
More Stories From World
-
Sugar futures close lower
6 minutes ago -
China-donated relief supplies arrive in Papua New Guinea
6 minutes ago -
ChiNext Index closes lower Thursday
6 minutes ago -
BHP launches $38.8 billion takeover bid for rival Anglo American
15 minutes ago -
AstraZeneca profit up on strong sales of cancer drugs
16 minutes ago -
93 arrested at LA university pro-Palestinian protest for trespassing
16 minutes ago
-
Blades of Paris landmark Moulin Rouge windmill collapse
25 minutes ago -
As 'news deserts' spread, US journalism fights on
26 minutes ago -
Blades of Paris landmark Moulin Rouge windmill collapse
45 minutes ago -
Car giants vie for EV crown at Beijing's Auto China show
56 minutes ago -
Blades of Paris landmark Moulin Rouge windmill collapse
1 hour ago -
Advanced 5G base station launched in Mt. Qomolangma
1 hour ago