Canada has defended its decision to draw on a supply of coronavirus vaccines from a global inoculation-sharing initiative known as Covax.
Covax pools funds from wealthier countries to help buy vaccines for themselves and low-income nations.
The scheme has announced a plan to deliver more than 330 million vaccine doses in the first half of 2021. Canada is the only member of the G7 group of rich countries listed as a Covax beneficiary at this stage.
Other wealthier countries, including New Zealand and Singapore, have requested an early allocation as well. Most of the first doses available, though, will be delivered to low- and middle-income countries.
Many of those countries haven’t even started vaccinations. Meanwhile, Canada has vaccinated 2.29% of its population with one dose, including 48% of health workers, government data shows.
Aside from Covax, agreements for 398 million doses of vaccines have been struck by the Canadian government - more than enough to cover the country’s population of 37 million. In an interview with Canadian broadcaster CBC News, International Development Minister, Karina Gould, was asked why the country decided to access Covax vaccines now.
“Our top priority is to ensure Canadians have access to vaccines,” the minister said. “Covax’s objective is to provide vaccines for 20% of the populations of all member states, both self-financing and those who will receive donations.
“Canada made the decision, as other countries have, to take on this first allocation, because we recognise how important it is that all Canadians have access to vaccines.”
The Canadian government has come under pressure to speed up vaccinations after delays.
What is Covax and how is it distributing vaccines?
Covax works towards the development, purchase and delivery of vaccines to more than 180 countries.
It was launched in April 2020 and is led by the World Health Organization (WHO), together with the Global Vaccine Alliance and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations.
Covax released its first vaccine distribution forecast on Wednesday, outlining how many doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech and AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccines it expected to deliver.