Boris Johnson and G7 leaders to pledge 1 billion vaccines to world’s poorest countries

Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com 
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
Visit Shots! now
Boris Johnson has promised the UK will pledge 100 million Covid vaccines to the efforts to stop the pandemic

The UK will start donating vaccines to countries in need within weeks - with at least 100 million surplus doses being distributed in the next year, Boris Johnson announced.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

We want to hear from you: let us know what you think about this story and be part of the debate in our comments section below

Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie Johnson walk together with U.S. President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden  outside the Carbis Bay Hotel on June 10, 2021 in St Ives (WPA Pool/Getty Images)Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie Johnson walk together with U.S. President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden  outside the Carbis Bay Hotel on June 10, 2021 in St Ives (WPA Pool/Getty Images)
Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie Johnson walk together with U.S. President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden outside the Carbis Bay Hotel on June 10, 2021 in St Ives (WPA Pool/Getty Images)
Read More
G7 Summit: Boris Johnson calls Joe Biden ‘breath of fresh air’ after first face-...

At a glance: 5 key points

- The group of seven leading industrialised nations are expected to agree to provide a billion doses of Covid vaccine in an effort to end the pandemic in 2022

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

-The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall will be accompanied by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge who are taking part in their first G7 events

-Mr Biden has already promised to donate half a billion Pfizer vaccines for 92 low and lower-middle income countries and the African Union

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

-Under the Prime Minister’s plan, the UK will provide five million doses by the end of September, with 25 million more by the end of 2021

What’s been said

“I think that the people of this country should be very proud that of the 1.5 billion doses that are being distributed around the world to the poorest and neediest in the world under the Covax programme, one in three come from the Oxford/AstraZeneca deal that the UK did, allowing those vaccines to be distributed at cost.

“And that’s before we’ve talked about the £548 million that we’ve contributed to Covax, £1.6 billion to Gavi (the vaccine alliance).

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“And, yes, we’re putting in five million doses by September, but we’ll do … 100 million before 12 months is out. That’s a huge number of extra doses”

The Prime Minister told the BBC

Background

Now, the Prime Minister will ask the G7 to encourage pharmaceutical companies to adopt the Oxford-AstraZeneca model of providing vaccines at cost price for the duration of the pandemic.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

One fifth of the doses promised by Mr Johnson will be delivered through bilateral arrangements with countries in need while the rest will go through the Covax initiative which is distributing vaccines to poorer nations.

Downing Street said that by sharing five million doses in the coming weeks the UK will meet an immediate demand for vaccines for the countries worst affected by the pandemic without delaying completion of the domestic vaccination programme.

All adults in the UK will have been offered a first vaccine dose by the end of July under government plans.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

At the summit, which runs until 13 June, the leaders of the UK, US, Canada, Japan, France, Germany and Italy will pledge at least a billion Covid vaccine doses to the world through dose sharing and financing.

They will also set out a plan to expand vaccine manufacturing in order to achieve that goal.

Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson have already pledged to share 1.3 billion doses on a non-profit basis with developing countries.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Zoe Abrams, executive director at the British Red Cross, said the promise on vaccines was “heartening” but added: “While every commitment must be welcomed, more needs to be done, and fast.”

Additional reporting by PA.

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.

Telling news your way
Follow us
©National World Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.Cookie SettingsTerms and ConditionsPrivacy notice