�UNITED NATIONS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 02nd May, 2020) The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) is urging support to unlock a huge backlog in vaccine deliveries caused by the restrictions over the coronavirus pandemic, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in a press briefing on Friday.
"For it's part the the UN Children's Fund has called today for support to unlock a massive backlog [in] vaccine shipments. This has been caused by the unprecedented logistical constraints related to COVID-19 mitigation measures including lockdown in some countries," Dujarric said. "Since the week of March 22, UNICEF has seen a 70 to 80 per cent reduction in planned vaccine shipments due to the dramatic decline in commercial flights and limited availability of charters."
Compounding the challenge, he said, is the exorbitant cost of securing flights, adding that freight rates are up to 200% above normal.
Dujarric continued to say that UNICEF has added that even before the pandemic, measles, polio and other vaccines were out of reach for 20 million children below the age of one every year.
The World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic on March 11. To date, more than 3.2 million people have been infected with the virus worldwide with over 232,000 fatalities, according to Johns Hopkins University.
