Thread by @kakape

Global vaccine news: COVAX says deals are in place to access nearly 2 billion doses of #covid19 vaccine. "For the vast majority of these deals, COVAX has guaranteed access to a portion of the first wave of production, followed by volume scales as further supply becomes available”

The new deals include:
- an advance purchase agreement with AstraZeneca for 170 million doses of the AstraZeneca/Oxford candidate
- a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Johnson & Johnson for 500 million doses of the Janssen candidate (investigated as single dose vaccine)

That’s on top of:
- agreement with Serum Institute of India for 200 million doses (plus option for 900 million more doses) of either AZ or Novavax vaccine
- statement of intent for 200 million doses of Sanofi/GSK vaccine candidate

This "will enable all participating economies to have access to doses in the first half of 2021, with first deliveries anticipated to begin in the first quarter of 2021 – contingent upon regulatory approvals and countries’ readiness for delivery."

The agreements mean "that all 190 countries and economies participating in COVAX will be able to access vaccines to protect vulnerable groups in their populations during the first half of next year”, says @DrTedros. "This is fantastic news and a milestone in global health."

@DrTedros “Our message to all countries is that vaccines will complement not replace the existing effective tools we have for suppressing transmission and saving lives”, says @DrTedros.

@DrTedros "This is a time for taking comfort that the end of the pandemic is in sight but taking care that we do not let down our guard”, says @DrTedros.

@DrTedros On top of the mentioned deals, COVAX has "also secured first right of refusal of more than a billion doses of vaccine that could become available in 2021”, says @cepi CEO @DrRHatchett. “Equitable access is what will enable us to win, and to defeat the pandemic."

@DrTedros @cepi @DrRHatchett "We still need more doses. And yes, we still need more money”, says @GaviSeth. “But we have a clear pathway to securing the initial 2 billion doses and then beyond that that we need to end the acute stage of this pandemic."

@DrTedros @cepi @DrRHatchett @GaviSeth This is something to watch:
"Today we published principles on dose sharing to allow some countries to share doses from their bilateral agreements with the COVAX facility”, says @GaviSeth. "This will allow us to access even more doses even sooner."

@DrTedros @cepi @DrRHatchett @GaviSeth “Success next year will depend, not just on the ability to grow the portfolio or raise necessary funding, but on the readiness of countries ...to deliver”, says @GaviSeth. Much done already on this, he says. “But this will continue to be an area of focus now and into early 2021."

@DrTedros @cepi @DrRHatchett @GaviSeth Q on lack of approved mRNA vaccines in deals.
“We're certainly in discussions with Pfizer and Moderna. We're hoping to be able to reach agreement with them”, says @DrRHatchett. "But we were not ready this morning ... I would say watch that space.”