The world now has a new COVID-19 vaccine in its arsenal, and at a fraction of the cost per dose.
Two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, the world has seen over 314 million infections and over 5.5 million deaths worldwide. Approximately 60 percent of the world population has received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. But there is still a glaring and alarming gap in global access to these vaccines. As a virologist who has followed this pandemic closely, I contend that this vaccine inequity should be of grave concern to everyone.
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If the world has learned anything from this pandemic, it's that viruses do not need a passport. And yet approximately 72 percent of vaccine doses were administered in high- and upper-middle-income countries — and only 1 percent in low-income countries. Wealthy countries are giving boosters, and even fourth doses, while first and second doses are not available to many worldwide.
But there is hope that a new vaccine called CORBEVAX will help close this vaccination gap.
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