WHO chief contraindicates vaccine nationalism

NEW DELHI: As the number of COVID-19 cases continue to rise, Dr Tedros Adhanom, Director-General of World Health Organisation, on Sunday, October 25, said that we must be united in the release of future coronavirus vaccines. He added that it is understandable for countries to want to safeguard their own citizens as a priority, but we should use the vaccines efficiently as vaccine nationalism will only lengthen the pandemic and not shorten it.

Dr Adhanom, during a video address at opening of three-day World Health Summit in Berlin, said that when an effective vaccine is released, it is natural for countries to prioritise their citizens and want them to be vaccinated, but the vaccine must be used effectively. The advisable way to do that is to immunise some people in all countries rather than all people in some countries.

Furthermore, he said that as the number of cases continue to rise, this is becoming an even more vulnerable phase for many countries in the northern hemisphere. In addition, the time has shown that taking right actions swiftly will mean that an outbreak can be managed.