184 countries, economies join COVAX: WHO chief
A complete of 184 countries and economies have finally joined COVAX, an international initiative co-led by the World Health Organization (WHO) and partners to make sure effective and equitable global usage of COVID-19 vaccines, reports Xinhua
"COVAX represents the greatest portfolio of potential COVID-19 vaccines and the most effective way to share effective and safe vaccines equitably around the world," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a virtual press conference on Monday.
"Equitably sharing vaccines may be the fastest way to guard high-risk communities, stabilize health systems and drive a global economic recovery," he added.
As one of the leading countries in vaccine development, China has officially joined COVAX, a move described by a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson as an important step to uphold the concept of a shared community of health for all and to honor its commitment to turning COVID-19 vaccines right into a global public good.
At Monday's virtual press conference, Tedros also mentioned "the worrying phase" that the COVID-19 pandemic has entered.
With the coming of winter in the northern hemisphere and sharp acceleration in the amount of new COVID-19 cases, Tedros warned that the next couple of months will be tough, particularly in Europe and North America.
"So it's important that all governments focus on the basics that help break the chains of transmission and save both lives and livelihoods," Tedros said.
As the world is struggling to contain the COVID-19 pandemic, countries around the world are racing to find a vaccine. Based on the website of WHO, as of Oct. 19, there have been 198 COVID-19 prospect vaccines being developed worldwide, and 44 of them were in clinical trials.
