COVAX is a facility created by the WHO, designed to ensure the fast and equitable dissemination of the eventual COVID-19 vaccine and slow the progression of the pandemic. COVAX aims to obtain 2 billion doses of the coronavirus vaccine from a variety of pharmaceutical companies by the end of 2021. Furthermore, it aims to ensure the availability of the vaccine to all countries globally. The EU announced that it is joining COVAX on the 1st of September, while more than 150 countries globally have joined this alliance. The European Commission (EC) has also pledged to support this effort, by allotting €400 million in support of the program. This is a vital development in the fight against this pandemic as these measures can help ensure that the vaccines are not hoarded by rich nations, which will leave poorer countries at the mercy of the disease. Equitable access to the vaccine will safeguard a faster global recovery and ensure that the people who are most in need of the vaccine obtain it sooner.
For more information on the COVAX facility, visit: https://www.gavi.org/covid19/covax-facility