The leaders of the world’s wealthiest nations and several drug makers took steps to widen equitable access to Covid-19 vaccines, such as issuing voluntary licenses to expand manufacturing, increasing donations to a global distribution program, and investing in production capacity in Africa.
Specifically, the G20 leaders asked the World Health Organization and World Trade Organization to compile a report by October on obstacles to greater vaccine access. They also agreed to extend through 2022 a WHO program called Access to Covid-19 Tools Accelerator, or ACT Accelerator, which was created to develop, produce and distribute vaccines, diagnostics and therapies.
Meanwhile, several vaccine makers – Pfizer (PFE), BioNTech (BNTX), Moderna (MRNA) and Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) – pledged to provide 1.3 billion vaccines doses this year to low-income countries at cost and to middle-income countries at “low cost.” Another 1 billion doses were committed for next year and many of the doses will be provided to COVAX, which is part of the ACT Accelerator.
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