WHO Chief Tedros calls for an end to 'Vaccine Nationalism'.
                     WHO  CHIIEF  TEDROS  CALLS  FOR  AN  END  TO  
''VACCIINE  NATIIONALIISM''
INTRODUCTION
• The World Health Organization's (WHO) chief Tedros 
Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that countries putting 
their own interests ahead of others in trying to ensure 
supplies of a possible corona virus vaccine are making 
the pandemic worse.
Source: The Economic Times
END TO VACCINE NATIONALISM
• WHO chief said that acting strategically and globally is 
actually in each country's national interest - no one is 
safe until everyone is safe.
• He told in a virtual briefing calling for an end to 
"vaccine nationalism".
Source: India Today
VACCINE EFFORT
• WHO chief has sent a letter to all WHO members 
asking them to join the multilateral COVAX vaccine 
effort.
• This is aiming towards global equitable accept of 
COVID 19 vaccine.
Source: The Economic Times
COVID 19 STATUS
• More than 22.3 million people have been reported to 
be infected by the novel corona virus globally and 
784,875 have died.
• USA has the highest record of corona virus cases i.e. 
5.6 million.
Source: Zaman al-Wasl
PUSH TO JOIN COVAX
• Tedros' push for nations to join COVAX comes as the 
European Union, Britain, Switzerland and the United 
States strike deals with companies testing prospective 
vaccines.
•  Russia and China are also working on vaccines, and 
the WHO fears national interests could impede global 
efforts.
Source: The Business Standards
WHAT IS COVAX ?
• COVAX is the vaccines pillar of the Access to COVID-19 
Tools (ACT) Accelerator. 
• The ACT Accelerator is a ground-breaking global 
collaboration to accelerate the development, 
production, and equitable access to COVID-19 tests, 
treatments, and vaccines.
Source: The Economic Times
COVAX FACILITY
• The COVAX facility has attracted interest from 92 
poorer countries hoping for voluntary donations and 
80 wealthier countries would finance the scheme.
Source: Times Now
WHY WE NEED COVAX
• The global pandemic has already caused the loss of 
hundreds of thousands of lives and disrupted the lives 
of billions more.
• Global equitable access to a vaccine, protecting health 
care workers and those most-at-risk is the only way to 
mitigate the public health and economic impact. 
Source: Business Live
NOT TWISTING ARMS
• Bruce Aylward leads the WHO's ACT Accelerator 
initiative to speed supplies of COVID-19 diagnostics, 
drugs and vaccines.
• He said that some nations are waiting for the Aug 31 
deadline before making a commitment as the facility's 
terms are still being finalised,
Source: Business Standard
VACCINES UPDATE
• With more than 150 vaccines in development, about 
two dozen in human studies and a handful in late-
stage trials.
• WHO said even countries signing bilateral deals boost 
their odds by joining COVAX.
Source: The Economic Times