[News] Covax has already shipped 38 million covid vaccines to 102 countries since February

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According to the WHO, the mechanism is on the right track to deliver vaccines to all countries that have requested it during the first half of the year.

The World Health Organization (WHO), through its Covax program, has shipped 38 million vaccines to more than 100 countries since it began distributing doses in February, although it faces delays from its three main suppliers: AstraZeneca, Pfizer and BioNTech, and the Serum Institute of India.

The WHO reported Thursday that these delays in March and April are due to manufacturers optimizing their production processes in the initial phase of launch.

The case of the Serum Institute of India is particular and the inability to fulfill the promised shipments is due to the growing demand for vaccines by the Indian Government, which faces a new wave of the pandemic.

Of the 102 countries where the Covax program has distributed doses, 61 are among the poorest in the world.

“More than 37 million doses of our vaccine have been distributed to date and they are protecting the most vulnerable po[CENSORED]tions around the world,” commented AstraZeneca CEO Pascal Soriot, who said he was proud that his vaccine represents the great most doses that are distributed through Covax.

According to the WHO, Covax is on the path to delivering vaccines to all countries that have requested it during the first half of the year.

"We are proud to work with Covax and all of its partners and remain firmly committed to working toward equitable access for all to end this pandemic," stated Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla.

For its part, the United States announced that it will organize an event to increase Covax funding and thus accelerate access to vaccines around the world.

"Through unprecedented cooperation among donors, manufacturers, and participating countries, Covax has achieved extraordinary milestones in equitable distribution of doses to the global community in record time," said US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

On the other hand, the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, celebrated that Covax has managed to administer vaccines in some of the most vulnerable countries in the world, such as Afghanistan or Yemen.

"Team Europe has invested heavily in Covax and I urge all partners to support Covax to ensure that no one is left behind," she stated.

WHO expects to distribute at least 2 billion doses of vaccines in 2021 through the Covax program.