UK to donate 100 million Covid vaccines to countries in need

Boris Johnson has announced that the UK will start donating vaccines to countries in need within weeks.

The Prime Minister made the announcement as G7 leaders gathered in Cornwall, and said at least 100 million surplus coronavirus doses would be distributed in the next year,

The group of seven leading industrialised nations are expected to collectively agree to provide a billion doses of vaccine in an effort to end the pandemic in 2022.

Our Westminster correspondent Georgie Prodromou spoke to Vaccine Minister Nadhim Zahawi:

The summit, in Carbis Bay, begins on Friday with leaders of wealthy nations under pressure to do more to share the burden of protecting the world from the virus.

US President Joe Biden has already promised to donate half a billion Pfizer vaccines for 92 low- and lower middle-income countries and the African Union.

UK to provide 5 million vaccine doses by October

Under the Prime Minister’s plan, the UK will provide five million doses by the end of September, with 25 million more by the end of 2021.

Boris Johnson said: “Since the start of this pandemic the UK has led the way in efforts to protect humanity against this deadly disease.

“Over a year ago we funded the development of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine on the basis it would be distributed at cost to the world.

“This unprecedented model, which puts people squarely above profit, means over half a billion doses have been administered in 160 countries so far.

“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.

“At the G7 Summit I hope my fellow leaders will make similar pledges so that, together, we can vaccinate the world by the end of next year and build back better from coronavirus.”

Officials hope that vaccinating people around the world will save lives, reduce the spread of the virus and restrict the emergence of new variants which could potentially be more dangerous than existing coronavirus strains.

G7 in Cornwall in pictures

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