Kathmandu, May 15. The World Health Organization requested developed countries to put aside their plans of vaccinating children and focus on donating vaccines to poor countries through COVAX.

While speaking at a virtual meeting in Geneva, WHO Chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, “I understand why some countries want to vaccinate their children and adolescents, but right now I urge them to reconsider and to instead donate vaccines to COVAX.”

“In low and lower-middle-income countries, Covid-19 vaccine supply has not been enough to even immunize healthcare workers, and hospitals are being inundated with people that need lifesaving care urgently,” Tedros added.

The request came up shortly after the US decided to expand its vaccination campaign to children aged 12 to 15. On Thursday, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC) announced that fully vaccinated people can stop wearing masks in the USA. 

So far, 47% of the US population has received at least one dose of the covid vaccine.

COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX)

COVAX was launched in April 2020 by WHO in collaboration with European Commission and France. The scheme was launched with a belief that “the truly global solution to the pandemic is to vaccinate the entire population in all corners of the world”. 

So far, 1.26 billion doses of anti covid vaccines have been administered through the COVAX scheme. 

The United States is the largest donor to COVAX and has committed $2 billion to the program, with another $2 billion to come. Nepal was among the first in Asia to receive COVAX donations.

United States COVID assistance to Nepal crosses USD 50 million