WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The World Bank said Tuesday that it approved $12 billion for developing countries to finance the purchase and distribution of Covid-19 vaccines, tests and treatment. The financing “aims to support vaccination of up to a billion people,” the bank said in a statement. The money is part of an overall World Bank Group (WBG) package of up to $160 billion through June 2021 designed to help developing countries battle […]
Tag: vaccines
Trump expects enough Covid-19 vaccines for every American by April
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US President Donald Trump said Friday he expects enough Covid-19 vaccines “for every American” will be produced by next April, and that the first doses will be distributed immediately after approval later this year. Claiming “historic progress” with three vaccines in the final stages of development and trials, Trump said at least 100 million doses would be manufactured by the end of the year — perhaps more. “Hundreds of […]
Pres. Duterte: PHL to choose less expensive vaccine which has proven efficacy vs COVID-19
Race by various countries to come up with vaccines good for PHL, he says (Eagle News) – President Rodrigo Duterte said that the government will choose for the country’s use the less expensive vaccines to be developed and approved against COVID-19. Duterte said that the various vaccines being developed against the virus are all the same as they target to kill the germs that cause COVID-19. His government has already readied the budget for the […]
What is the best way to share out a future Covid-19 vaccine?
by Ivan Couronne Agence France Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — An international group of ethicists on Thursday criticized the World Health Organization’s goal of distributing coronavirus vaccines to treat 20 percent of each country’s population, proposing instead what they said was a more equitable system of distribution. In an article published in the journal Science, US professor Ezekiel Emanuel and more than a dozen experts from Britain, Canada, Australia, Norway and Singapore suggested […]
US floats idea of early approval for eventual COVID-19 vaccine
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The head of the US Food and Drug Administration raised the possibility in an interview published Sunday that a future vaccine against the coronavirus might be given emergency approval before the end of trials designed to ensure its safety and effectiveness. A request for such extraordinary approval would have to come from the vaccine developer, Stephen Hahn told the Financial Times. “If they do that before the end of […]
President Duterte thanks Russia, China for offering vaccines against COVID-19 to PHL
(Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte thanked Russia and China for offering to the Philippines the vaccines they are developing against COVID-19. Duterte said Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping have both offered to help the country address its COVID-19 problems by offering the vaccines which their scientists are developing to fight the virus. “As I have stated time and again repeatedly that the only salvation available to humankind at this […]
Volunteers flock to vaccine trials in virus hotspot Florida
by Leila MACOR MIAMI, United States (AFP) — Heather Lieberman is betting that she will gain immunity from the coronavirus. Sandra Rodriguez wants to work with scientists for the good of the community. Both have signed up for clinical trials of COVID-19 vaccines in Florida, the new US epicenter of the global health crisis. “I want to be part of history. I want to help,” said Rodriguez, a 63-year-old teacher sitting in the offices of […]
Russia produces first batch of virus vaccine: ministry; Putin says one of his daughters inoculated
MOSCOW, Russia (AFP) — Russia said Saturday that it has produced the first batch of its coronavirus vaccine, after President Vladimir Putin announced it had been first in the world to approve a vaccine. Putin’s announcement on Tuesday about the vaccine was met with caution from scientists and the World Health Organization who said it still needed a rigorous safety review.afety review. “The first batch of the novel coronavirus vaccine developed by the Gamaleya research […]
DOH reserves comment on Russia’s Sputnik V pending completion of Phase 3 of clinical trials
(Eagle News) — The Department of Health is reserving its comment on what Russia has touted as the world’s first COVID-19 vaccine, Sputnik V. In a television interview, Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said Phase 3 of the clinical trials needed to be completed first. Apart from Sputnik V, she said the country was looking at five other possible vaccines. Meanwhile, clinical trials in the Philippines for Japan’s antiviral drug Avigan will run for nine […]
Russia aims to produce ‘millions’ of vaccine doses by 2021
by Maria ANTONOVA MOSCOW, Russia (AFP) — Russia said Monday it aims to launch mass production of a coronavirus vaccine next month and turn out “several million” doses per month by next year. The country is pushing ahead with several vaccine prototypes and one trialled by the Gamaleya institute in Moscow has reached advanced stages of development and is about to pass state registration, officials said. “We are very much counting on starting mass production […]
Brazil doctors volunteer to test coronavirus vaccines
by Florence GOISNARD / with Jorge SVARTZMAN in Rio de Janeiro SAO PAULO, Brazil (AFP) — In Brazil, health care workers are on the front line of the coronavirus pandemic in more ways than one, treating patients but also volunteering to test some of the most promising experimental vaccines. Brazil is the country with the second-highest number of infections and deaths in the pandemic, after the United States, and the virus is still spreading quickly […]
Greece to ‘prioritize’ virus vaccines for elderly, at-risk
ATHENS, Greece (AFP) — Greece will prioritize giving coronavirus vaccines to the elderly and high-risk groups if and when they become available, the country’s health minister said Saturday. “If and when a vaccine comes, we will prioritize those who must take it above all,” Vassilis Kikilias told Skai TV. “Who is that? Our very aged fellow citizens, the very elderly, high-risk groups…we will protect those in danger.” He added that vaccines will not be compulsory […]





