Thread by @WHO

Live from the First ACT-Accelerator Facilitation Council meeting with @DrTedros. #COVID19 pscp.tv/w/ciinQTI2MTAy…

"The speed at which vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics have been developed for #COVID19 is nothing short of astonishing.

It is a testament to the incredible advances in science and technology the world has made in recent years"-@DrTedros

"We are now in the process of establishing a consensus on the international allocation of these products. But the ACT Accelerator will not be able to deliver on its goals without a significant increase in funding"-@DrTedros #COVID19

"The USD 2.7 billion it [ACT-Accelerator] has received to date has been generous and has enabled the robust start-up phase.

But this is less than 10% of the overall needs"-@DrTedros #COVID19

"At the same time, bilateral vaccine deals and vaccine nationalism could compromise equitable access and hold up progress for all countries in bringing the #COVID19 pandemic to an end"-@DrTedros

"In the face of these challenges, the case for a united, 🌍 effort is even stronger than when the ACT-Accelerator was launched.
Between now & the end of 2020 we have a limited window of opportunity to scale-up the ACT & fully enable the equitable allocation framework"-@DrTedros

"Currently, the ACT-Accelerator is supporting research into promising vaccines, therapeutics & diagnostics.
But we need to rapidly scale up our clinical trials, manufacturing, licensing & regulation capacity so that these products can get to people & start saving lives"-@DrTedros

"The Facilitation Council is critical to ensuring 🌍 leadership & advocacy for the ACT-Accelerator.
We are relying on you to provide high-level advice for implementing the pillars of the ACT, & for guiding us towards fruitful interactions with our principals & partners"-@DrTedros

"We face a monumental challenge. Your political leadership is critical in the months ahead.
I thank you once again for joining this Council"-@DrTedros #COVID19

We've an important task ahead of us to empower & resource all health workforces across the 🌍, to work together for the speedy development & deployment of new solutions to manage & overcome the #COVID19 pandemic.
-@vonderleyen

We all know we need them [vaccines, therapeutics & diagnostics] fast. We need them for all those in need anywhere, and we need them in affordable conditions. This is the mission and the spirit of the ACT-Accelerator
-@vonderleyen #COVID19

My thanks notably go WHO and to you, @DrTedros, for the excellent cooperation and drive in taking forward the ACT-Accelerator
-@vonderleyen #COVID19

We have seen a tiny virus threaten our health and wreaking havoc to our global economy and to our ways of living and working. We have seen that the virus does not respect borders or conventions. We are all affected.
-@vonderleyen #COVID19

The @EU_Commission will remain deeply and entirely committed to the success of the ACT-Accelerator
-@vonderleyen #COVID19

The number 1 security threat in the 🌍 is the virus, it is our common enemy. Yet we still continue to struggle to collectively make all the decisions and evoke all the resources we need to defeat it. But it is not too late.
- @antonioguterres #COVID19

We must start immediately by massively expanding new & existing tools that can rapidly respond to new #COVID19 cases & provide vital treatment to suppress transmission & save lives.
-@antonioguterres

A vaccine must be seen as a global public good, available & affordable for all, because #COVID19 respects no borders.
-@antonioguterres

When I joined the launch of the ACT-Accelerator 4 months ago, we presented a vision to ensure that the world would emerge from this crisis together. Today, we have proof that this vision is feasible.
- @antonioguterres #COVID19

The ACT-Accelator is the global solution we are looking for. Now we need to make important political choices if the world is to reap its promise.
-@antonioguterres #COVID19

I call on this Facilitation Council to look closely at progress to date & the strong economic case for the ACT-Accelerator & commit to addressing the financing & equitable distribution of what will initially be very scarce tools.
- @antonioguterres #COVID19

Donors must go deep into the exceptional funds they have approved to address #COVID19 in all its dimensions. Without mobilization of these exceptional resources the amounts I mentioned will never be reached, & it is essential that they are reached.
- @antonioguterres

We need greater trust. For any vaccine to work the majority of men, women & children across the 🌎 need to be willing to accept it. Yet mistrust in vaccines is on the rise around the world.
-@antonioguterres #COVID19

Together with WHO, @gavi, @GlobalFund & other global health agencies we will work with major social media platforms to halt deadly misinformation.
- @antonioguterres #COVID19

The ACT-Accelerator is a groundbreaking and innovating mechanism. A product of a perhaps unprecedented ongoing and steadfast collaboration. Since it was set up it has achieved promising results & is now poised to deliver, what I believe will be, much more.
- @CyrilRamaphosa 🇿🇦

The pandemic has indeed taken a heavy toll & continues to do so on all of us. It has led to the loss of lives, economic & social hardship & insecurity throughout the world.
- @CyrilRamaphosa 🇿🇦 #COVID19

We now have to speed up the process of finding tools to combat the #COVID19 pandemic. It is essential that humanity should have a sense that if & when a vaccine is developed, all countries, including my own continent Africa, should benefit & not be left behind.
- @CyrilRamaphosa

The #COVID19 vaccine should be regarded as a public good, to benefit all. We cannot achieve universal health coverage when the vaccine is available only to countries that are well resourced.
- @CyrilRamaphosa 🇿🇦

We need to move swiftly to ensure everyone has access to the vaccine once it's developed at the same time. Countries must act in solidarity, & support current global initiatives to find #COVID19 vaccines. This initiative is very important to achieve that goal.
-@CyrilRamaphosa 🇿🇦

The efforts by the WHO to enable collaboration among scientists who conduct clinical trials is very welcome. We all need to support these global efforts because they are likely to massify the availability of vaccines.
- @CyrilRamaphosa 🇿🇦 #COVID19

As South Africa and on behalf of the @_AfricanUnion we look forward to this cooperation and working with all states and partners to achieve our collective objectives. Of this I am sure that we will succeed
- @CyrilRamaphosa 🇿🇦 #COVID19

The world needs resources, effective coordination and instruments to tackle the pandemic. The ACT-Accelerator will play a key role in the global, cross-sectoral coordination mechanism.
- @erna_solberg 🇳🇴 #COVID19

The ACT-Accelerator has already achieved impressive results. The world has shown that it is able to come together at a time of crisis.
- @erna_solberg 🇳🇴 #COVID19

#Norway will work tirelessly to ensure that common interests are established & followed, & that all countries & actors are listened to, so that we can maximize our result together. We as world leaders need to sustain & strengthen our joint efforts.
- @erna_solberg 🇳🇴 #COVID19

Through the ACT-Accelerator, governments, organizations, industries and civil society need to join forces as never before, to speed up the development of vaccines, tests and treatments.
- @erna_solberg 🇳🇴 #COVID19

We must ensure that the products of international science & industry are affordable & made available to those who need them the most in line with the principle of leaving no one behind. This is a human rights issue & it’s a global health security issue.
-@erna_solberg 🇳🇴 #COVID19

We can’t afford to fail in our global effort to beat this pandemic. This effort will also be an important step towards ensuring the global preparedness and response to future pandemics. No one is safe until everyone is safe.
- @erna_solberg 🇳🇴 #COVID19

This is certainly one of the most important international initiatives under way in the world today and perhaps ever. I would like to commend the WHO and @EU_Commission along with each of the distinguished organizations supporting the various pillars.
-@PaulKagame 🇷🇼 #COVID19

Each of the pillars is crucial but the vaccine pillar holds the most promise for getting our economies and our citizens back to work. By pooling risks through this innovative model, we can ensure that vaccine distribution is fair and equitable.
- @PaulKagame 🇷🇼 #COVID19

This will, in turn, support the resumption of economic activity, which benefits us all. We will be able to ensure that the vaccine and other tools are directed where they are needed most.
- @PaulKagame 🇷🇼 #COVID19

The difference between success & failure lies in building a robust public health infrastructure that can confront any health issue in a sustainable manner. Solid health systems combined with transformational partnerships such as this Accelerator are critical.
- @PaulKagame 🇷🇼

#Rwanda is committed to partnering with the other Council members and stakeholders to make this venture into the success that it is needed to be.
- @PaulKagame 🇷🇼 #COVID19

Global leaders – incl. over 30 heads of state and ministers – release statement of commitment to galvanize support for the Access to #COVID19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator and provide the financial resources required bit.ly/3m8xxaz

The Access to #COVID19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator is a ground-breaking global collaboration to accelerate the development, production, and equitable access to COVID-19 diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines.

👉 bit.ly/3m8xxaz

The @UN Secretary General @antonioguterres appealed for a quantum leap in funding for the the Access to #COVID19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator, to get the world moving, working and prospering again.

The Access to #COVID19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator Facilitation Council held its inaugural meeting today, co-chaired by Prime Minister of #Norway🇳🇴 @erna_solberg and President of #SouthAfrica🇿🇦, @CyrilRamaphosa

More:
bit.ly/3m8xxaz

WHO Director-General @DrTedros and President of the @EU_Commission, @vonderleyen, co-hosted the inaugural meeting of the Access to #COVID19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator Facilitation Council

More:
bit.ly/3m8xxaz

The Access to #COVID19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator Facilitation Council facilitates the work of the ACT-Accelerator through political leadership & advocacy for collective approaches to solutions in the global interest to mobilize resources.

👉bit.ly/3m8xxaz

The Access to #COVID19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator brings together governments, health organizations, scientists, businesses, civil society & philanthropists to speed  up an end to the pandemic.

👉bit.ly/3m8xxaz

Over 170 countries are engaged in the new #COVID19 Vaccine Facility and 10 candidate vaccines are under evaluation - 9 of them in clinical trials, giving the largest and most diverse COVID-19 vaccine portfolio in the world.

👉 bit.ly/3m8xxaz

Investing in the Access to #COVID19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator's multilateral approach increases the chance of success for all countries by giving access to a greater number of tools more quickly, as well as sharing the costs, and mitigating the risks of R&D.
bit.ly/3m8xxaz

A total of USD35 billion is still needed for the Access to #COVID19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator to produce
💉2 billion vaccine doses
💊245 million treatments
🧫 500 million tests

👉 bit.ly/3m8xxaz

The Access to #COVID19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator was set up in response to a call from G20 leaders in March and launched by the WHO, @EU_Commission, France 🇫🇷 and @gatesfoundation in April 2020.

The Access to #COVID19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator has 🔢 areas of work:

1⃣ diagnostics
2⃣ therapeutics
3⃣ vaccines
4⃣ health systems

The Access to #COVID19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator aims to provide equitable access to tools to tackle all forms of #COVID19 disease (from asymptomatic to mild and severe disease).

It is severe cases of #COVID19 disease that cause acute issues for health, societies & economies. They are the ones leading to overwhelmed health systems, to fear & loss of confidence, and in turn to social & economic disruption.

#COVID19 vaccines should be made available first to those who need them the most in all countries:

1⃣ Frontline workers
1⃣ Older people
1⃣ Sick and vulnerable populations

Vaccine nationalism❌= When a few countries secure more vaccines than their populations need, leaving the large majority of the world without #COVID19.

Equitable global access to tests, treatments and vaccines is key to ending #COVID19 fairly, effectively and efficiently.

Because if one of us is at risk, we are all at risk.

We are only safe when everybody is safe.