The Biden administration on Thursday announced a strategy to split the initial 25 million Covid-19 vaccine doses with the rest of the world and an overall frame of dispersing at least 80 million doses by the end of June.
At least 75% of those contributed vaccines will likely be shared with the global vaccination program called Covid-19 Vaccines Global Access, or COVAX, and 25% will be shared directly with countries in need, the White House said.
“We are sharing these doses to not fasten favors or extract concessions. We’re sharing these experiments to save lives and to lead the world in bringing an end to the pandemic, with the ability of our case and together with our values,” President Joe Biden said in an announcement.
As part of this initial round of 25 million doses have been dispersed, nearly 19 million will be shared by COVAX, which is an initiative led by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, along with the World Health Organization along with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations.
Approximately 6 million of those doses will be sent to South and Central America — specifically to Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica, Peru, Ecuador, Paraguay, Bolivia, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, Haiti and other Caribbean Community countries, as well as the Dominican Republic.
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Approximately 7 million doses will be distributed in Asia to India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Maldives, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, Laos, Papua New Guinea, Taiwan and the Pacific Islands. Additionally, approximately 5 million will be sent to Africa to be shared with countries that will be selected in coordination with the African Union.