The United States of America has announced that it supports waiving intellectual property protections for Covid-19 vaccines, as countries struggle to manufacture the life-saving doses. The announcement comes as the pandemic gains momentum.
“This is a global health crisis and the extraordinary circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic call for extraordinary measures,” said Joe Biden’s government.
“The Administration believes strongly in intellectual property protections, but in service of ending this pandemic, supports the waiver of those protections for COVID-19 vaccines,” it added.
“As our vaccine supply for the American people is secured, the Administration will continue to ramp up its efforts — working with the private sector and all possible partners — to expand vaccine manufacturing and distribution. It will also work to increase the raw materials needed to produce those vaccines,” the statement added.
Read More:
- Waiver On Ksh 1000 And Below Mobile Transaction To End
- Misdiagnosis Is A Perilous Basis For Banning Crop Protection
The World Health Organization’s director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, praised the U.S. decision as a “monumental moment in the fight against Covid-19” that reflects the “moral leadership” of the White House in the fight to end the pandemic.
The approval comes as India continues to battle the deadly virus that is killing many on a daily basis.