By UK to donate coronavirus vaccines to poorer countries
The UK will start to donate surplus coronavirus vaccines to poorer countries in the next few weeks.
More than 100m vaccines are expected to be donated, PM Boris Johnson has announced.
Speaking at the G7 summit, he said:
“As a result of the success of the UK’s vaccine programme we are now in a position to share some of our surplus doses with those who need them.
“In doing so we will take a massive step towards beating this pandemic for good.”
US President Joe Biden has promised to provide low and middle income countries with 500 million doses of the vaccine.
He said:
“The United States is providing these half billion doses with no strings attached. No strings attached.
“Our vaccine donations don’t include pressure for favours, or potential concessions. We’re doing this to save lives.”
Boris Johnson added that he hopes others at the summit, including the leaders of Canada, Japan, France, Germany and Italy, would “make similar pledges so that, together, we can vaccinate the world by the end of next year”.
The UK government has already donated more than £500m to Covax, a scheme which distributes vaccines to the world’s poorest countries.
Wealthy world leaders are expected to agree to provide a billion doses of coronavirus vaccines in total.
According to figures published by gov.uk on Wednesday 9 June, the UK has now administered 69,743,980 doses of the coronavirus vaccine.
Authorities have now begun offering the jab to those aged 25 and above.
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