Othernews considers it useful to make this Italian position on WHO known:
MOVE UP ON VACCINES: WE SUPPORT WHO’S DEMAND TO STOP NEW RECALLS (third doses) UNTIL MID SEPTEMBER AND TO USE ALL THE DOSES NOW AVAILABLE FOR VACCINATIONS IN POOR COUNTRIES.
A PLAN TO REACH THE PRODUCTION NECESSARY TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE WHOLE WORLD AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
The umpteenth appeal by the WHO is almost a plea to rich nations to temporarily suspend unnecessary vaccinations and donate those doses to poor countries. It is a precise message, addressed in particular to those who, like Israel, Germany and the United States, despite the lack of precise scientific evidence, have decided to proceed with the third dose, while in poor countries about 1% of the population is vaccinated and the numerous deaths among doctors and nurses make the already precarious national health services even more fragile.
The US administration has officially rejected the WHO appeal and has reserved 1.3 billion doses until 2023, which corresponds to about 5 doses for every US citizen. France and Germany have also rejected the WHO appeal.
Canada has reserved 450 million doses despite having less than 40 million inhabitants. Between the doses already purchased and those that will arrive, the European Union will have 3 billion doses available by 2023, equivalent to about 6.6 doses per person. Moreover, the new orders are at prices 30% higher and therefore even less affordable for poor countries.
According to the United Nations Development Agency, if the percentage of people vaccinated in southern countries were similar to that in western countries, the economies of those countries would have gained USD 38 billion, and rich countries would have benefited significantly. In addition, the lack of vaccinations in the south of the world encourages the development and spread of more aggressive viral variants everywhere. So not only is a huge injustice being done to the poorest nations today, but in the coming months it will be the citizens of the richest nations themselves who will pay the price.
MOVE UP is a meeting of Italian progressive forces, linked to other European movements, which are preparing a mobilization for the G20 meeting, and the political logic that guides its decisions.