WHO: Vaccine nationalism 'moral failure'
For some countries it's a time to celebrate. This was a 54-year-old nurse in Sao Paulo.
She became the first person to be vaccinated in Brazil, but in other parts of the world few are being inoculated.
The head of the World Health Organization is urging countries and manufacturers to spread doses more fairly around the world, criticizing what he called a "me first" approach -- leaving the world's poorest and most vulnerable at risk.
"I need to be blunt the world is on the brink of a catastrophic moral failure and the price of this failure will be paid with lives and livelihoods in the world's poorest countries"
Tedros said the prospects for equitable distribution were at "serious risk," just as its COVAX vaccine-sharing scheme aimed to start distributing inoculations next month.
"Even as they speak the language of equitable access some countries and companies continue to prioritise bilateral deals. Going around COVAX, driving up prices and attempting to jump to the front of the queue. This is wrong. Forty-four bilateral deals were signed last year and at least 12 have been signed this year."
He warns these deals could create the scenario COVAX hoped to avoid with hoarding, a chaotic market, an uncoordinated response, and continued social and economic disruption.
The global scramble for shots has intensified as more infectious virus variants circulate.
Tedros said more than 39 million vaccine doses had been administered in 49 higher-income countries.
Just 25 doses had been given in one poor country.
