Thread by @astroehlein

A new must-read from @TheLancet on why COVAX won’t save us and why experts agree: we need a #PeoplesVaccine.

thelancet.com/journals/lance…

Some background on COVAX in this thread, along with the questions Human Rights Watch has been raising about it:

https://twitter.com/astroehlein/status/1392070264926703617

This bit from The Lancet article is particularly devastating:

"As of late May, COVAX had supplied about 80 million doses to low-income and middle-income countries; 22 million doses had gone to high-income countries."

Shocking.

In this light, the #G7 pledge on donating doses was even more pathetic than everyone said it was…

Vaccine inequity...

“Today, 10 countries have administered 75% of all vaccines, but, in poor countries, health workers & people with underlying conditions cannot access them. This is not only manifestly unjust, it is also self-defeating.” - UN secretary general António Guterres

And, yes, self-defeating.

We are in a race against time.

We cannot beat the pandemic at current vaccine production levels.
oxfam.org/en/press-relea…

“There can be no solution to the global vaccine crisis without govts placing pressure on big pharma, including waiving IP rights & technology transfer. It is literally impossible to ramp up vaccine supplies unless we have more manufacturing hubs, incl. in LMICs.” -Lawrence Gostin

Without wider vaccine production globally, we risk being stuck on this merry-go-round of death for years.

EU & UK must change their policy. They both need to stop blocking & start supporting wider vaccine production globally.

Citizens, please sign & share these official petitions:

🇪🇺 noprofitonpandemic.eu
🇬🇧 petition.parliament.uk/petitions/5640…

And everyone:

🌐 secure.avaaz.org/campaign/en/pe…