As the number of Covid-19 cases continues to rise worldwide, Dr. Mike Ryan, director of the World Health Organization’s Health Emergency Program, called on wealthy nations on Wednesday to help bridge a global gap in vaccine inequality.
“There are populations who want and need vaccines that won’t get them unless or until we start sharing better,” Ryan said during a virtual Q&A Wednesday.
In the 36 days since countries started vaccinating, 28 million doses of vaccine have been administered, he said. According to Ryan, of the 46 countries currently vaccinating, only one is a low-income country.
“We really need to look at this in terms of equity,” said Ryan.
Ryan added that there have been 5 million new cases of Covid-19 and 85,000 deaths worldwide in the past week from the virus.
“Essentially all regions except Southeast Asia are showing increases,” Ryan said, pointing out that America is still responsible for half of all new cases and 45% of deaths worldwide.
“We’ve seen that perfect storm of the season, the cold, the people going in, the increased social mixing and a combination of factors that have led to greater carryover in many, many countries,” Ryan said.
“When we talk about tolerance, kindness and solidarity, it’s interesting that these are probably the most powerful countermeasures we have at the moment,” he added. “You have to have the attitude that this disease will end with me.”