A health worker applies a vaccine against the coronavirus CoronaVac (COVID-19) from Sinovac in an elderly citzen in Sao Goncalo, near Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on February 18, 2021.
Ricardo Moraes | Reuters
President Joe Biden is expected to announce Friday that the United States will spend $ 4 billion on international vaccination efforts against Covid, White House officials said.
Biden, during his first virtual meeting as president with G7 leaders, will also encourage other nations to commit more money to the global fight against the pandemic, officials told a news conference Thursday. .
“This pandemic will not end unless we put an end to it around the world,” an official said, noting that vaccination of Americans remains the administration’s “top priority.”
“But pandemics travel,” the official said, and “the more disease there is, the more likely we are to see additional mutations and variants.”
The funds were appropriated by Congress as part of Covid’s relief bill that was signed into law in late December with overwhelming bipartisan support, though former President Donald Trump called the package a “disgrace.” .
The Biden administration plans to contribute half of that $ 4 billion “almost immediately” to the global nonprofit alliance Gavi, an official said.
Gavi is co-leader of COVAX, an international initiative that aims to increase access to Covid vaccines. The initial $ 2 billion delivery aims to increase access to the Covid vaccine for 92 low- and middle-income economies with the support of COVAX’s Advanced Market Commitment.
The administration plans to allocate the remaining $ 2 billion in stages by 2022, officials said, with the goal of encouraging other donors to increase their contributions.
“We basically want to turn it into a way to translate $ 2 billion into several million dollars,” an official said in the call, setting a goal of at least $ 15 billion for “what is likely to be needed to drive worldwide vaccine supply “.
The administration stressed that world-focused funds will have no impact on the U.S. national immunization program. Officials said that if Congress approves the additional Covid bill pushed by Democratic and Biden lawmakers, they plan to ensure the supply of enough vaccine to meet its chronological goals.
“When we have a sufficient supply, it is our intention to consider giving surplus vaccines” abroad, an official said.
Asked to explain the importance of supporting global vaccination efforts, one official said: “In addition to saving many lives … it is also right to do so from an economic and national security perspective to benefit everyone in the States. United “.