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u.s. news Diaranson 16 December 2020

Poor countries face long wait for vaccines despite promises

With Americans, Britons dous pressure to protect their The Associated Press. "If they
and Canadians rolling up own populations and are want more, they'll have to
their sleeves to receive buying up shots. Meanwhile, place more orders."
coronavirus vaccines, some poorer countries that
the route out of the pan- signed up to the initiative are He said the lack of com-
demic now seems clear to looking for alternatives be- mitment from COVAX will
many in the West, even if cause of fears it won't deliver. mean a much longer wait for
the rollout will take many "It's simple math," said Arn- people in developing coun-
months. But for poorer aud Bernaert, head of global tries. Poonawalla also noted
countries, the road will be health at the World Economic that his company's first prior-
far longer and rougher. Forum. Of the approximately ity would be making shots for
12 billion doses the pharma- India, which has suggested it
The ambitious initiative ceutical industry is expected wants at least 300 million vac-
known as COVAX created to to produce next year, about cines. It's likely India would
ensure the entire world has 9 billion shots have already not be able to take all of those
access to COVID-19 vac- been reserved by rich coun- at once, but a big order could
cines has secured only a frac- tries. "COVAX has not se- delay the distribution of vac- Canada are rolling it out this ing a recent internal discus-
tion of the 2 billion doses it cured enough doses, and the cines for other parts of the week. Some Gulf countries sion, a recording of which
hopes to buy over the next way the situation may unfold developing world, Poonawal- have also authorized it. was obtained by the AP.
year, has yet to confirm any is they will probably only get la said.
actual deals to ship out vac- these doses fairly late." Still, GAVI said they "aim to Asked to clarify her remarks,
cines and is short on cash. Asked on Tuesday about why start rolling out safe and ef- O'Brien said in an email that
To date, COVAX's only con- the Serum Institute was only fective vaccines to COVAX "every country should have
The virus that has killed firmed, legally binding agree- contracted to produce 200 (member countries) at scale access to COVID-19 vac-
more than 1.6 million people ment is for up to 200 million million vaccines for COVAX, within the first and second cines, as early as feasible."
has exposed vast inequities doses, though that includes WHO's Dr. Bruce Aylward quarters of the New Year."
between countries, as fragile an option to order several said they would go back to Adding to COVAX's difficul-
health systems and smaller times that number of addi- the company "to make sure Even with vaccines in hand, ties, O'Brien noted at a news
economies were often hit tional doses, GAVI spokes- they have the assurances they the rollouts will take many conference this month that
harder. COVAX was set up by man James Fulker said. It has need." He said the Serum In- months in rich countries, and it was still $5 billion short to
the World Health Organiza- agreements for another 500 stitute was "absolutely crucial many developing ones are buy the doses it's planning to
tion, vaccines alliance GAVI million vaccines, but those to the supply of many vac- facing serious logistical chal- obtain next year.
and CEPI, a global coalition are not legally binding. cines." lenges that will add to delays, According to a report GAVI
to fight epidemics, to avoid Potentially further slowing noted Dr. Gagandeep Kang, issued ahead of a meeting this
the international stampede The 200 million doses will down the process is that nei- an infectious diseases expert week, the alliance itself con-
for vaccines that has accom- come from the Serum Insti- ther the AstraZeneca vaccine at the Christian Medical Col- cluded that the risk COVAX
panied past outbreaks and tute of India, the company nor the Novovax one has lege at Vellore in southern will fail is "very high," saying
would reinforce those imbal- that will likely make a large been licensed by any regula- India. it was "established in record
ances. portion of the coronavirus tory agency yet — and any time and has to navigate un-
shots destined for the de- injection distributed by CO- Senior officials at the WHO chartered territory."
But now some experts say veloping world. CEO Adar VAX will likely need WHO have acknowledged privately
the chances that coronavirus Poonawalla says it has a con- approval. COVAX does not that attempts to fairly allocate John Nkengasong, director
shots will be shared fairly firmed order for 100 million have any supplies of the two vaccine through the initiative of the Africa Centers for Dis-
between rich nations and doses each of a vaccine de- vaccines that appear to be are flawed, despite publicly ease Control and Prevention,
the rest are fading fast. With veloped by Oxford Univer- most effective so far — the lauding its success. criticized Western countries
vaccine supplies currently sity and AstraZeneca and one Pfizer-BioNTech shot and for buying up the global vac-
limited, developed countries, from Novovax. the Moderna one. The Unit- "The whole call for global sol- cine supply "in excess of their
some of which helped fund ed Kingdom has already be- idarity has mostly been lost," needs while we in Africa are
the research with taxpayer "We don't have anything be- gun giving the Pfizer vaccine, said Dr. Katherine O'Brien, still struggling with the CO-
money, are under tremen- yond that in writing," he told and the United States and WHO's vaccines chief, dur- VAX (effort).

A night at the ballet, in time for 'Nutcracker' season

Of all the artists whose ers have worked hard to stay The result is "A Night at the — everyone ," says Hamrick,
livelihoods have been dev- They depend on a live au- relevant, busy, in shape — Ballet," a free streaming event "and find a way to keep the
astated by the coronavirus dience to do their work, of and ready to jump back in that premieres Thursday and arts alive while giving people
pandemic, dancers have course, and most live pay- when it's safe again. was produced by Live Arts jobs at the same time. Also
been among those hit check to paycheck. As the Global, founded by Ham- giving back to our audiences
hardest. months have gone by, danc- Enter Melanie Hamrick. The rick and her partners, Chris- — we don't want to lose our
former ballerina at American tine Shevchenko (a principal audiences."
Ballet Theatre — she retired dancer at ABT) and Joanna
in 2019 after 15 years in the DeFelice. The event, filmed "Art will always come back,"
company — has spent most in a small New York theater, Hamrick says, "and dance
of the year in Europe with will treat ballet-starved fans will always come back. It's
her partner, Mick Jagger, and to performances by dancers just a waiting game."
their 4-year-old son, De- from America's top compa-
vereaux. She made a video nies in excerpts of classical Hamrick sat down with The
in June featuring Royal Bal- ballets like "Romeo and Ju- Associated Press over Zoom
let dancers performing in liet, "The Nutcracker" and to discuss the project, her
empty streets to the recent "Don Quixote," as well as hopes for the dance world,
Rolling Stones song "Living contemporary gems like "Af- and plans to expand "Porte
in a Ghost Town." But she ter The Rain" by Christopher Rouge" (Red Door ), the 2019
wanted to find a project that Wheeldon. ballet she choreographed to
would employ not only danc- Rolling Stones tunes with ar-
ers but the crews and techni- "Our mission is just to give rangements by Jagger.
cal staff that work with them. work to dancers, stage crew,
tech and lighting (people)