Achieving global equity for COVID-19 vaccines: Stronger international partnerships and greater advocacy and solidarity are needed

Many may not be aware of the full extent of global inequity in the rollout of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (CAU : PleasenotethatCOVID 􀀀 19hasbeendefinedasCoronavirusDisease2019inthesentenceManymaynotbeawareofthe::::OVID-19) vaccines in response to the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coro- navirus 2 (SAAURS:-CPoleVa-s2e)noptaenthdaemtSAicR. ASs􀀀 ofCJouVne􀀀 202,h2a0s2b1e,eonndleyfi0n.e9d%asoSfetvheorseeAlcivuitnegReinspliorwat-orySyndromeCoronavirus2inthesentenceManymaynotbeawareofthe::::income countries and less than 10% of those in loAwU- :anPdlemasiedndolete-tihnactolmowe 􀀀couanndtrlioews e(LrmMidICdlse) 􀀀 incomecountrieshasbeenchangedtolow had received at least 1 dose of a COVID-19 vaccine compared with 43% of the population living in high-income countries (HICs) [1] (Fig 1). Only 2.4% of the population of Africa had been vaccinated compared with 41% of North America and 38% of Europe (S1 Fig). Primarily due to the inability to access COVID-19 vaccines, less than 10% of the population in as many as 85 LMICs had been vaccinated compared with over 60% of the population in 26 HICs [1]. Only 10 countries account for more than 75% of all COVID-19 vaccines administered. This striking and ongoing inequity has occurred despite the explicit ethical principles affirming equity of access to COVID-19 vaccines articulated in WHO SAGE values framework prepared in mid-2020, well prior to the availability of COVID-19 vaccines.