Thread by @kakape

“The development and approval of vaccines in record time took us to the summit of scientific achievement”, says @DrTedros in #covid19 presser.
“Now, we stand on the precipice of failure. If we don't make the benefits of science available to all people in all countries right now."

@DrTedros “High and upper middle income countries have used 75% of all vaccines produced so far, low income countries have received less than half of 1% of the world's vaccines”, says @DrTedros calling it a “horrifying inequity".
“In Africa, less than 5% of people are fully vaccinated."

@DrTedros "Today, WHO is launching the strategy to achieve global #COVID19 vaccination by mid-2022”, says @drtedros. Goal is 40% coverage in all countries by the end of this year, 70% by middle of next year.
"This is not a supply problem. It is an allocation problem"

@DrTedros "Vaccine inequality is the best ally of the #COVID19 pandemic”, says @antonioguterres.
"It's allowing variants to develop and run wild condemning the world to millions more deaths and prolonging an economic slowdown that could cost trillions of dollars."

@DrTedros @antonioguterres “The plethora of global, regional and bilateral initiatives has failed to deliver”, says @antonioguterres.
Nowhere near 10% coverage that had been goal for end of September “even though the number of doses required comes to less than one week of global manufacturing outputs."

@DrTedros @antonioguterres “Why do we even in the first place, have had this IP waiver in the provisions if we're not going to use it in such conditions?”, asks @drtedros on TRIPS waiver.
"I think manufacturers and governments should really ask themselves this question."

@DrTedros @antonioguterres "In our discussions with the manufacturing industries and some governments who don't support the IP waiver, they tell us that even if IP is waived, it wouldn't help”, says @DrTedros. “Our response is: Instead of saying it wouldn't help, then why don't you try it?"

(Here is the strategy by the way: cdn.who.int/media/docs/def…)

“Not to have equitable distribution of vaccines is not only a question of being immoral. It is also a question of being stupid”, says @antonioguterres.

@antonioguterres Q from Argentina about status of Sputnik V listing at WHO (Sputnik has been a large part of vaccination campaign in Argentina but not recognised by many countries for travel)
Process was put on hold because of legal procedures but restarting soon, says @mariangelasimao.

@antonioguterres @mariangelasimao For Sputnik V there are still issues around "complete information on the dossier that has to be provided by the applicant” and "issues regarding the finalization of the inspections in the different manufacturers in Russia”, says @mariangelasimao

@antonioguterres @mariangelasimao WHO is calling for actions now not words, says @Kate_L_OBrien:
"Countries that have a substantial number of doses already and have achieved high vaccine coverage can swap their place in line for additional doses for the coming weeks, and the coming months."

@antonioguterres @mariangelasimao @Kate_L_OBrien “We also need to assure that the countries have the funding and the capacity within countries to deploy those doses”, says @Kate_L_OBrien. “We think it's around $8 billion on the delivery part"

@antonioguterres @mariangelasimao @Kate_L_OBrien “There's enough vaccine in the world. We have a distribution and delivery problem”, says Bruce Aylward.
“If we get to 40% we'll basically have ended the acute phase of the pandemic. THat’s how urgent this is."