Covid-19: unequal access to vaccines is “immoral” and “stupid”, denounces the UN secretary general – franceinfo

The UN condemns the grabbing of vaccines against Covid-19 by developed countries. “Not having an equitable distribution of vaccines is not only an immoral question, it is also stupid”, denounced the Secretary General of the UN, Antonio Guterres, Thursday, October 7.

Inequality of access to vaccines “is the best ally of the Covid-19 pandemic”, he continued, during a joint press conference with the Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “It allows variants to develop freely, condemning the world to millions more deaths and prolonging the economic downturn.”, he alerted.

Earlier this year, the WHO requested that each country vaccinate 10% of its population by the end of September. “56 countries did not succeed, through no fault of their own”, but for lack of vaccines, said Dr Tedros Adhanom ghebreyesus. WHO now wants 40% of the population of each country to be vaccinated by the end of the year, and 70% by mid-2022.

“Achieving these goals will require at least 11 billion doses of vaccine. This is not a supply issue, but a distribution issue.”, insisted the director general of the WHO. To obtain the 11 billion doses at least required, WHO is asking manufacturers to proceed with technology transfers, but also to promote the international Covax system and the African Fund for the acquisition of vaccines (Avat), set up by the African Union.

It also calls on countries to share doses and to immunize health workers and vulnerable and elderly people first, before immunizing adults as a whole, and then adolescents.