UN: Global Inoculation Plan

The world urgently needs a global inoculation plan to unite all those who have the power, scientific expertise and the required production and financial capacities, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said before the G20 countries.

The World Health Organization, which reported a 16 - percent drop in cases with COVID-19 in the world, also stressed that “fires have not died down”, more than a year after the start of the pandemic that has caused over 2.4 million deaths.

The number of cases of COVID-19 infection in the world has decreased for the fifth week in a row and since the beginning of the year, the weekly infection balance has almost been halved, announced WHO General Director Tedros Adhanom Ghebresrees.

On the European front, the new deal, announced by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, concerns the purchase of 150 million doses of the anti vaccine CO VID-19 from the American Modern laboratory, destined to be released in the third and fourth quarter 2021, with a possibility of 150 million extra doses in 2022.

European Union announced yesterday an agreement on buying an additional 300 million doses of Moderna vaccine against COVID-19, accelerating the race for immunization at a time when the UN secretary general called for drafting a global vaccine plan.

“The agreement includes the purchase of 150 million doses, destined for distribution in the third and fourth quarters of 2021, with an option of 150 million additional doses in 202258, the company said in a statement.

In total, the EU is expected to have 310m doses of the Modern vaccine this year.

Criticised for delays in vaccines, the European Commission unveiled a plan for better monitoring of Coronavirus mutations.

In Washington, State Secretary Antony Blinken announced that the US will pay over $200m for the World Health Organisation by the end of February, after canceling Donald Trump's withdrawal plan from the organisation.

In Germany, the British version of the virus, which represents more than 20% of the cases, is on track to become dominant”, Health Minister Jens Spahn said.

In the face of ever - present danger, young Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi set the main task of fighting pandemic with all means in his country, where COVID-19 has caused about 100,000 deaths.

Pandemia has caused at least 2,419,730 deaths in the world, according to official data. /Atsh