Biden "Donate 500 Million Doses of Pfizer Vaccine by Next Year" (Summary)

Provided to Low-Income Countries... Moderna and G7 Also Supply 80% of Global Volume

Advanced Nations Criticized for Vaccine Hoarding Shift to Sharing to End Pandemic

President Joe Biden of the United States and First Lady Jill Biden arrived at Newquay Airport in Cornwall, southwest England, on the 9th (local time) ahead of the Group of Seven (G7) summit.
[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min, Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] The United States will provide 500 million doses of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine to low-income countries by the first half of next year. The Group of Seven (G7) will also release an additional 1 billion doses of vaccines by next year to vaccinate 80% of the global adult population. Analysts interpret this as advanced countries, which had been criticized for monopolizing vaccines, now actively working toward a global end to the pandemic.

The Washington Post (WP) and others reported on the 9th (local time), citing sources, that the U.S. plans to provide 500 million doses of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine to low-income countries by the first half of next year.

This year, 200 million doses will be donated, and 300 million doses will be provided in the first half of next year. These vaccines will be purchased by the U.S. government from Pfizer and donated to 92 low-income countries and the African Union (AU) through the international vaccine program COVAX.

U.S. President Joe Biden is expected to announce this plan at the G7 summit held in the United Kingdom on the 10th. Albert Bourla, Pfizer's Chief Executive Officer (CEO), is also reported to attend the meeting.

Before departing for the UK to attend the summit, President Biden was asked if there was a "vaccine plan for the world," to which he replied, "There is one, and I plan to announce it." Jake Sullivan, the White House National Security Advisor, reportedly told reporters on the presidential plane to the UK that President Biden would announce related details at the G7 summit instead of providing specifics.

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

◆ Moderna Vaccine Support Also in Progress = The U.S. government is also reportedly negotiating with Moderna to support overseas COVID-19 vaccine distribution. CNBC cited an anonymous source saying, "The U.S. government is negotiating to secure additional vaccines from Moderna."

The supply volume is expected to be similar to Pfizer's 500 million doses. CNBC reported, "The U.S. government is in discussions to secure a quantity comparable to the Pfizer vaccine supply."

While the U.S. has prioritized vaccinating its own citizens, it has begun sharing vaccines internationally after reaching a vaccination rate exceeding 50%. On the 3rd, the U.S. announced that out of 80 million doses planned for supply, 25 million doses would be provided through COVAX donations and direct provision. The 1.01 million doses of Janssen vaccine supplied to South Korea are included in this.

The area around Carbis Bay Hotel in Cornwall, UK, where the G7 Summit is being held [Image source=AP Yonhap News]

◆ G7 Aims to End Pandemic by End of Next Year... Additional 1 Billion Doses to be Provided = The G7 leaders have also agreed to provide at least 1 billion additional vaccine doses by next year to vaccinate 80% of the global adult population.

According to a draft statement of the G7 summit obtained by Bloomberg on the 9th, the G7 aims to end the pandemic by December next year and plans to issue a joint statement reflecting this goal at the summit.

Bloomberg reported, "The G7 has been documenting the outline of this plan even before the summit. Although the final statement has not yet been released, discussions will be based on the draft during the meeting."

The draft statement also includes content related to investigating the origin of COVID-19, vaccine export restrictions, and vaccine passports. The G7 is expected to call for a transparent investigation led by the World Health Organization (WHO) into the origin of COVID-19.

The WHO-led COVID-19 origin research team was dispatched to China earlier this year and conducted a one-month investigation, but calls for reinvestigation, mainly from the U.S., have been pouring in. This criticism stems from the fact that the WHO did not have full access to information and only reviewed research results that had already been concluded in China.

Regarding vaccine exports, the statement is expected to include commitments to eliminate unnecessary trade restrictions and support common standards for vaccine passports and international travel.

Since the UK, the host country of this meeting, is actively pushing for an agreement on vaccine passports as an international standard, and the European Union (EU) plans to introduce a 'Digital COVID Certificate' starting next month, this will be a major agenda item.