Australia to allocate extra $50M to widen COVID-19 vaccination

Australia will give an extra $50 million to the global effort to widen COVID-19 vaccination of people in low and middle-income countries, Report informs referring to AAP.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the contribution to the COVAX Advance Market Commitment would bring Australia’s total to $130 million.

It will assist in delivering more than 1.8 billion doses worldwide, reaching at least 114 million people in Southeast Asia and the Pacific.

The funding complements Australia’s $623 million regional vaccine access initiative.

“Our neighbors in the Pacific and Southeast Asia have now received more than 13 million doses from COVAX, with more deliveries planned,” Morrison said in a statement.

“These vaccines are being prioritized for high-risk individuals, health workers, frontline personnel, and vulnerable groups.”

The first batch of vaccines within the COVAX platform was delivered to Azerbaijan in April.