Blinken: "Plan to Donate 80 Million COVID Vaccine Doses to Be Announced Within 2 Weeks"

"No Political Demands Will Be Made to Countries Receiving Vaccines"

Tony Blinken, U.S. Secretary of State
[Photo by Reuters]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suhwan] The United States announced that it will disclose detailed plans for supplying 80 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines pledged for global donation within two weeks.

U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken said at a joint press conference after meeting with Costa Rican President Carlos Alvarado on the 1st (local time), "We will announce within about two weeks the criteria and methods for vaccine distribution," adding, "There will be no political conditions imposed on the countries receiving the vaccines."

Secretary Blinken also added that the U.S. will cooperate with the international vaccine procurement initiative, the 'COVAX Facility.'

A State Department official explained, "We do not yet know which countries will ultimately receive the vaccines," but added, "Support will be provided to countries advised by experts to help curb the spread of COVID-19."

Earlier, President Joe Biden announced on the 31st of last month that in addition to the 60 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccines already promised, the U.S. government will supply an additional 20 million doses of Pfizer, Moderna, and Janssen vaccines approved by the government.

This is interpreted as a response to domestic and international pressure for the U.S. to provide vaccines to countries like India and Brazil, where the COVID-19 situation has rapidly worsened.

Meanwhile, in the U.S., there are expectations that the COVID-19 situation will calm down as vaccination rates increase. As of the 30th of last month, the proportion of U.S. citizens who have received at least one dose of the vaccine exceeded 50% of the total population.

The AstraZeneca vaccine, which the United States has announced it will donate 60 million doses of to countries around the world [Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

Accordingly, foreign media reported that the U.S. is pursuing a strategy focused on supplying COVID-19 vaccines to other countries to counter the vaccine diplomacy of China and Russia.