The WHO may have been calling for international solidarity in the fight against Covid-19 for a year, the message is obviously not getting through. The World Health Organization denounces the surplus of vaccines made by some rich countries. They would prevent others from obtaining it in addition to inflating prices. In the sights: Germany. But not only.
Vaccine nationalism was feared by the WHO. He is already at work, according to the UN agency. Of the 42 countries that have started immunizing their populations, only 6 are middle- or low-income countries. The WHO has nevertheless guaranteed them 2 billion doses of vaccines thanks to its Covax program . But it is bypassed by the rich countries who negotiate directly with the manufacturers.
” I want vaccine manufacturers to prioritize their deliveries and do so through the Covax program, ” hammered Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus . And I ask manufacturers and countries to stop placing additional orders at the expense of Covax. No country is above the others. No country should cheat in the queue to vaccinate its entire population while others have no vaccines. ”
The criticism targets Germany in particular . Berlin has ordered 30 million additional doses of the vaccine from Pfizer / BioNTech. While the EU countries are committed not to negotiate in parallel with the European Commission. She argued that the order from Berlin was part of the plan negotiated by Brussels. But the doubt still remains. The trend remains that of a vaccine race. A race led by Israel which has already vaccinated 20% of its inhabitants. Europe ensures that it has secured enough doses to vaccinate 80% of its population.