MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 18th December, 2020) The COVAX Facility, the global vaccine initiative co-led by the World Health Organization (WHO), has secured new deals with COVID-19 vaccine producers to take its total number of available doses to nearly 2 billion, which will allow the scheme to begin deliveries to all participating economies who requested doses in the first half of 2021, according to a joint press release published on Friday.
"COVAX, the global initiative to ensure rapid and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines for all countries, regardless of income level, today announced that it had arrangements in place to access nearly two billion doses of COVID-19 vaccine candidates, on behalf of 190 participating economies," the press release, which was jointly published by the WHO, Gavi vaccine alliance, and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, read.
According to the press release, the COVAX Facility has recently signed an advance purchase agreement with AstraZeneca for 170 million doses of its candidate vaccine, which is produced in conjunction with the UK's University of Oxford.
Additionally, the scheme has concluded a memorandum of understanding with Johnson & Johnson for 500 million doses of a candidate vaccine which is being produced by Janssen Pharmaceutica, the co-leaders of the COVAX Facility said.
With these new agreements signed, the COVAX Facility can begin delivering COVID-19 vaccines to all participating economies that requested doses in the first half of 2021, according to the press release.
"Today's announcements on deals and dose-sharing mean COVAX can plan for the first deliveries of vaccines in the first quarter of 2021, with the first tranche of doses - enough to protect health and social care workers - delivered in the first half of 2021 to all participating economies who have requested doses in this timeframe," the press release read.
A further $6.8 billion in donations will be required in 2021 to fund the COVAX Facility, the co-leaders said.
