Health

EU targets 70% global vaccination rate with 500 million more jabs

Brussels, Oct 18 (EFE).- The European Union will donate 500 million more vaccine doses to developing countries, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen announced on Monday, in an effort to vaccinate 70% of the world’s population against the coronavirus by 2022.

“Together with (US) president Joe Biden, we aim for a global vaccination rate of 70% by next year. The EU-US agenda for beating the global pandemic will help us achieve that,” der Leyen said in a statement.

The jabs expected to be sent to more vulnerable nations in the upcoming months will be on top of the 87 million doses donated through the worldwide COVAX vaccine-sharing initiative, as well as the 1 billion shots exported to countries like Japan, Turkey, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, South Africa and Brazil.

“Other countries need to step up, too,” der Leyen added.

More than 75% of the adult European population has been fully vaccinated.EFE

jaf/smq/ks

Related Articles

Back to top button