US backs ‘historic’ COVID-19 vaccine patent waiver, India deaths skyrocket
Move comes as rich nations face accusations of hoarding vaccines SAMAA | AFP - Posted: May 6, 2021 | Last Updated: 3 weeks ago SAMAA | AFP Posted: May 6, 2021 | Last Updated: 3 weeks ago
Activists rally on the National Mall in support of global access to COVID-19 vaccines on May 5, 2021 in Washington, DC. Photo: AFP
The United States threw its weight behind a waiver on patent protections for Covid-19 vaccines as India Thursday posted record deaths and infections from a catastrophic wave swamping the country.
Rich nations have faced accusations of hoarding shots while poor countries struggle to get inoculation programs off the ground, with the virus surging across the developing world in contrast to the easing of restrictions in Europe and the United States.
(Getty Images)
The United States threw its weight behind a waiver on patent protections for Covid-19 vaccines as India Thursday posted record deaths and infections from a catastrophic wave swamping the country.
Rich nations have faced accusations of hoarding shots while poor countries struggle to get inoculation programs off the ground, with the virus surging across the developing world in contrast to the easing of restrictions in Europe and the United States.
Under intense pressure to ease protections for vaccine manufacturers, Washington’s Trade Representative Katherine Tai said Wednesday the country “supports the waiver of those protections for Covid-19 vaccines”.
Support Grows For Vaccine Patent Waiver As India Deaths Hit New Record ibtimes.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from ibtimes.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Covid-19 vaccine patent waiver: how will it affect vaccine production?
India and South Africa are calling for developed nations to share the vaccine patent, but the World Trade Organization (WTO) is yet to make a decision.
DADO RUVIC
REUTERS
On Wednesday the Biden administration confirmed that it would support the move to
waive patents on covid-19 vaccinations in an effort to get the life-saving pharmaceuticals to developing nations.
A White House statement announced their intention to support a proposal made by India and South Africa last October, which has been
promoted by 100 developing countries. In the statement, President Biden’s Trade Representative Katherine Tai said extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures .
US trade chief Tai says COVID-19 recovery depends on addressing global vaccine inequity Toggle share menu
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US trade chief Tai says COVID-19 recovery depends on addressing global vaccine inequity
US Trade Representative Katherine Tai on Capitol Hill, in Washington on Apr 28, 2021. (Photo: Sarah Silbiger/Pool via REUTERS)
05 May 2021 05:11AM Share this content
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WASHINGTON: US Trade Representative Katherine Tai said on Tuesday (May 4) that making vaccines more widely available throughout the world is needed to end the coronavirus pandemic and foster economic recovery.
In remarks to a Council of the Americas conference, Tai said the world had made real strides toward ending the pandemic but that a lot of work lies ahead.