STAT+: World Health Organization says its Covid-19 vaccine program has secured 2 billion doses
After months of effort, a World Health Organization program has reached an agreement to obtain nearly 2 billion doses of Covid-19 vaccines and expects to begin distribution in the first quarter of 2021, which means shots can start reaching dozens of low and middle-income countries that must rely on patronage for supplies.
The move is a notable step forward for the program, which is known as COVAX and was launched in hopes of closing a widening gap in access to Covid-19 vaccines. Over the past several months, wealthy nations have struck bilateral deals with different vaccine manufacturers, raising alarm that the poorest countries will be unable to effectively combat the pandemic.
