WHO “Contract 40 million doses of corona vaccine with Pfizer for COVAX use”

The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on the 22nd (local time) that it has signed a contract with Pfizer-Bioentech for up to 40 million doses of a new coronavirus infection (Corona 19) vaccine for the use of the COVAX project.

WHO Secretary General Thewardros Adhanom Governor Yeosus said in a video press briefing, “We are pleased to announce that COVAX has signed a contract with Pfizer-Bioentech for up to 40 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine.”

“It is not the vaccine itself that helps end the pandemic, but vaccination,” he said. “For this, all member states, partners, and vaccine manufacturers must join (CoVax).”

Seth Berkeley, the representative of the Global Vaccine Immunization Association (Gavi), who participated in the briefing, replied “6 billion to 7 billion doses” when asked how much the Corona 19 vaccine could be produced this year.

COVAX is an international project for the joint purchase and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines led by WHO, Gavi, and the Infectious Disease Innovation Association (CEPI).

COVAX aims to distribute at least 2 billion doses of Corona 19 vaccine to each country within this year, of which 1.3 billion doses will be distributed to poor countries.

To date, the WHO has approved emergency use only for Pfizer-Bioentech vaccines.

In this regard, Reuters reported that the WHO has announced that it will begin reviewing the Corona 19 vaccine from Chinese pharmaceutical companies Sinoparm and Sinobac next week.

It also added that it is considering urgent approval of AstraZeneca vaccines manufactured in Korea and India.