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UK plan to donate 100 million doses: 'Not at the level of ambition we need'

  • Save the Children Executive Director of Policy and Advocacy, and spokesperson for the Crack the Crises coalition, is at the G7 Summit and available for interview. With any enquiries please contact Isobel Turriff on i.turriff@savethechildren.org.uk / +44 7968 858795 or 24 hrs: +44 7831 650409 / media@savethechildren.org.uk

In response to the announcement that the UK will donate at least 100 million surplus coronavirus vaccine doses within the next year, Kirsty McNeill, Executive Director of Policy and Campaigns at Save the Children and spokesperson for the Crack the Crises coalition, said:

“This announcement isn’t at the level of ambition that we need, doses aren’t coming at the speed that we need and it doesn’t come with the money that we need. 100 million doses could start making a difference but poorer countries need them now. Their vaccination campaigns are stalling. And that puts everyone at risk because no-one is safe until we all are. We need to see donations ramping up much faster than the five million committed by the end of September. We can do that while keeping our own rollout going at pace.

“Dose sharing is critical as a way of kickstarting vaccination drives. But children and families everywhere depend on the G7 delivering far more than that. A fully financed plan to dramatically and sustainably increase vaccine supply to poorer countries is the only way to end this pandemic for all of us. This is a moment of truth for the UK’s role in the world. If Boris Johnson is serious about helping the world defeat COVID-19, he will ensure today’s announcement is only the start.”