More than 400 million doses of vaccines were given worldwide as of Thursday, according to an AFP report.
Despite the fact that the AstraZeneca bullet has been fired in more than a dozen countries, vaccination campaigns against COVID-19 continue to pick up speed, the count based on official sources found.
As a sign of how the pace is picking up, the last 100 million people received the vaccine in 11 days – six times faster than it took to give the first 100 million.
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By Thursday night at least 402.3 million doses had been given in more than 158 countries worldwide.
While rich countries have been better off, the vaccine in the last poor countries is starting under the free COVAX program.
Maria Castro de Lima, 72, is receiving a dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine from a health care worker, while sitting on the porch of her home in the community of Recanto, next to the Purus River, in city of Labrea, Amazonas state, Brazil, Feb. 12, 2021. (Photo AP / Edmar Barros)
Israel will move later
Israel still largely leads the race, with nearly three-fifths of its population receiving at least one dose. About half of Israelis – more than 4.4 million – have received a second dose. Millions more are invalid because they are under 16.
The United Kingdom (38 per cent), the United Arab Emirates (between 35 and 70 per cent), Chile (28 per cent), the United States (22 per cent), Bahrain (22 per cent) and Serbia (16 per cent) percent by March 12) is also doing well.
In terms of real numbers, the US is ahead with 113 million views provided ahead of China by 65 million (as of March 14), India (39 million) and the UK by 27.6 million.
EU countries have given 54.4 million doses to the bloc’s 8.5 percent population.
Boxes of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine manufactured by the Serum Institute of India and delivered through the global COVAX mission will arrive at the airport in Mogadishu, Somalia, 15 March 2021. (AP Photo / Farah Abdi Warsameh)
Poor countries are now benefiting
Out of 13 of the poorest countries that have started their vaccination campaigns, nine in early March began using free-delivered vaccines under the COVAX scheme launched by the World Health Organization, an alliance Gavi vaccine and Cepi consortium.
Only 0.1 per cent of imported doses worldwide were administered in these poor countries, home to nine per cent of the world’s population.
In contrast, the richest countries – which have 16 percent of humanity – have received 58 percent of the doses.
More than a quarter of all doses given to date (28 percent) were in the US.
AstraZeneca in lead
The vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University has already been given in some 100 countries or regions, outperforming its competitors.
Although low, it is widely used in richer countries such as the UK and the EU and in poorer countries, thanks to the COVAX scheme.
Midwives wait under medical supervision after receiving the first sighting of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in San Jacinto, eastern Guatemala, March 18, 2021. (Photo AP / Moises Castillo)
It is also administered in India, where it is also produced.
But the Swedish-British vaccine has been kept under controversy, after it spotted blood clots in several people who received the vaccine. But an EU regular on Thursday said it was not linked to an increased risk of blood clots.
Where shots are used
The US – German vaccines made by Pfizer / BioNTech – which are used in more than 70 countries – and the American Moderna, used in over 40, are more expensive and more difficult to store. They are mainly used in the rich countries.
Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine, which is used in more than 20 countries, and Sinopharm and Sinovac jabs in China – used in 20 and a dozen countries respectively – have been made available in domestic markets. as well as emerging and developing countries.
The American Johnson & Johnson vaccine, the first to require just one dose, has been approved in the US, Canada and the EU but so far it has only been distributed in the US and South Africa.
