Some of the world’s wealthier nations, numerically making up just a small percentage of the total global population, are buying up large amounts of promised COVID-19 vaccines.
The news comes as U.S. President Donald Trump has told Americans he will begin sending out vaccines to the wider population of the states in the next few weeks.
At present some human-trials are currently on hold over serious side effect concerns although trials in the UK have now resumed.
Reports now indicate that over half of the stocks being produced have been pre-purchased by just a few nations.
To date, the virus has killed almost 950,000 of the 30 million it has infected.
Outspoken European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen yesterday referred to “vaccine nationalism” as something that could eventually put even more lives at risk should poorer nations not be amongst those receiving the vaccine.
It is understood that already over half of all vaccines promised have been secured by nations representing just 13% of the global population according to Oxfam.
Speaking to the media on behalf of the global body, Robert Silverman said “Access to a life-saving vaccine shouldn’t depend on where you live or how much money you have. COVID-19 anywhere is Covid-19 everywhere.”
An Oxfam report says 5.9 billion doses being prepared which should be enough to immunise around three billion people.
The nations and political bodies behind the buy-up and concerns over not enough vaccines going to poorer nations, include the European Union, Australia, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan, Macau, Switzerland, the UK, and U.S.
Developing nations China, Indonesia, Mexico, India, Bangladesh, and, Brazil have been promised 2.6 billion doses of the vaccine.
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