G7 to donate 1 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses to poorer countries

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson expects G7 leaders to agree to donate 1 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses to poorer countries during its summit starting on Friday, and help innoculate the world by the end of next year, as reported in Yahoo!News.

Johnson also said Britain would give at least 100 million surplus vaccines to lower-income nations.

The comments come shortly after US President Joe Biden vowed purchase and donate of 500 million Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines doses.

Of the 100 million UK-donated doses, 80 million will go to the COVAX programme co-led by the World Health Organization, while the rest will be shared bilaterally with countries in need.

Johnson also echoed Biden in calling on his fellow G7 leaders to make similar pledges and for pharmaceutical companies to adopt AstraZeneca's model of providing vaccines at cost for the duration of the pandemic.