UNITED Nations calls for collaboration among nations in developing Covid-19 vaccines

Ebangla Bureau

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has urged G-20 nations to support global collaboration in accelerating development of coronavirus treatment and drugs. The recent breakthroughs in developing   COVID-19 vaccines offer a ray of hope. But that ray of hope needs to reach everyone, Guterres said at a news conference on Friday. “That means ensuring that vaccines are treated as a global public good — accessible and affordable to everyone, everywhere. A people’s vaccine. This is not a ‘do-good’ exercise. It is the only way to stop the pandemic dead in its tracks,”PTI reports quoting  him.” solidarity is indeed for  survival” and hence,  Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator and its COVAX Facility are the vehicles to get nations there. Based on current projections, the pharma companies expect to produce globally up to 50 million vaccine doses in 2020 and up to 1.3 billion doses by the end of 2021. The major announcement came just days after Moderna said its virus vaccine has an efficacy rate of 94.5 per cent. The announcements about the vaccines and their potential availability for use among the general population in the coming weeks and months has offered hope to millions around the world in a year that has seen the COVID-19 pandemic devastate lives and economies with no signs of abating. Coronavirus has infected more than 55 million people around the world and killed over 1.3 million people as of now even as governments are  implementing strict lockdowns and restrictions to slow the spread of the virus that originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan. A second wave of infections is threatening to derail economies and impact lives again as countries had gradually begun to ease restrictions and open up. Guterres said that over the past seven months, countries have invested USD 10 billion in the effort to develop vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics but that USD 28 billion more are needed — including USD 4.2 billion before the end of the year.“This funding is critical for mass manufacturing, procurement and delivery of new COVID-19 vaccines and tools around the world. G20 countries have the resources. I am urging all of them to fully support the ACT-Accelerator,” he said, referring to the global collaboration to accelerate development, production, and equitable access to COVID-19 tests, treatments, and vaccines. Launched at the end of April 2020, the ACT- Accelerator brings together governments, scientists, businesses, civil society, and philanthropists and global health organisations (the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, CEPI, FIND, Gavi, The Global Fund, Unitaid, Welcome, the WHO, and the World Bank). Guterres, however, voiced concern that vaccine myths and wild conspiracies continue to spread on social media, saying it is unfortunate that there is no vaccine for misinformation.pic courtesy : Depositphotos . edited by@Chakravartypk