WHO warns that rich nations may start hoarding vaccines again as the threat from Omicron grows
The World Health
Organization (WHO) has sounded yet another warning that wealthy countries may
start hoarding covid-19 vaccines again. Although these nations are hoarding
vaccines stocks to fight the new Omicron Coronavirus Variant, hoarding vaccines
will threaten global supplies.
WHO vaccine director
Kate O Brien made these comments on Thursday, December 10. Although the WHO and vaccine charity GAVI run an
international dose sharing program with rich countries, as a result of the new
variant, supplies to poorer nations could reduce.
“We have to make sure that it [higher shipments] continues,” O’Brien said in a
briefing.
“As we head into whatever the Omicron situation is going to be, there is a risk
that the global supply is again going to revert to high-income countries
hoarding vaccines” as they seek to protect their ability to inoculate their
citizens, she said later.
O’Brien also said
that a major problem for COVAX has been that wealthy countries are donating
COVID-19 vaccines with a relatively short shelf life.
According to GAVI
COVAX has shipped 610 million doses of vaccines to 144 countries since
February.
