Which countries have administered the fewest COVID-19 jabs? – World Economic Forum

Many countries have seen rapid vaccination programmes, with millions of people around the world now fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

However, much of this initial progress is concentrated in the world's wealthiest nations.

The latest data from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) shows that around half of people in high-income countries have been vaccinated. In low-income countries? Barely more than 1%.

Indeed, in some countries, the latest data shows almost no one is fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

Our World in Data reports that in Haiti and the Democratic Republic of Congo, 0% of the population has received full protection. And, the same data shows that in numerous countries this figure remains below 1%.

Share of people vaccinated against COVID-19 in selected countries.

Image: Our World in Data

As the UNDP data shows, the split between income groups is clear, with higher income groups surging ahead in vaccine delivery.

COVID-19 vaccine doses administered by country income group.

Image: Our World in Data

This inequality is also clear when you consider things on a continent-by-continent basis. Africa, Oceania and South America lag far behind Asia, Europe and North America.

COVID-19 vaccine doses administered by continent.

Image: Our World in Data

There are health, economic and moral implications for failing to vaccinate the world as evenly and fairly as possible.

Vaccine inequity is the worlds biggest obstacle to ending this pandemic and recovering from COVID-19, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), said last month.

Failure to vaccinate could see new vaccine-resistant variants emerge, threatening the health of the entire global population. As many have put it, 'nobody is safe until everybody is safe.'

There have also been warnings that an inequitable vaccine rollout will hit the socioeconomic recovery in low- and lower-middle-income countries. Data shows that low-income countries could have added $38 billion to their GDP forecast for 2021 if they had similar vaccine rates as high-income countries.

Numerous world leaders have also emphasized the moral obligation to ensuring the vaccine rollout is equitable.

COVAX, co-led by Gavi, the WHO and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), is the vaccines pillar of the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator.

Its aim is to accelerate the development and manufacture of COVID-19 vaccines and to ensure fair and equal access for every country around the world.

So far, it's delivered more than 150 million vaccine doses around the world, with a target of making 2 billion available by the end of 2021. However, in June it warned that short-term supply concerns remain - particularly throughout July and August.

In 2000, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance was launched at the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos, with an initial pledge of $750 million from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

The aim of Gavi is to make vaccines more accessible and affordable for all - wherever people live in the world.

Along with saving an estimated 10 million lives worldwide in less than 20 years,through the vaccination of nearly 700 million children, - Gavi has most recently ensured a life-saving vaccine for Ebola.

At Davos 2016, we announced Gavi's partnership with Merck to make the life-saving Ebola vaccine a reality.

The Ebola vaccine is the result of years of energy and commitment from Merck; the generosity of Canadas federal government; leadership by WHO; strong support to test the vaccine from both NGOs such as MSF and the countries affected by the West Africa outbreak; and the rapid response and dedication of the DRC Minister of Health. Without these efforts, it is unlikely this vaccine would be available for several years, if at all.

Read more about the Vaccine Alliance, and how you can contribute to the improvement of access to vaccines globally - in our Impact Story.

Elsewhere, the Group of 7 countries met in June and committed to sharing at least 870 million vaccine doses, with the aim to deliver at least half of that by the end of 2021. At the same time, the G7 reaffirmed its commitment to COVAX as the "primary route for providing vaccines to the poorest countries".

The World Bank and African Union also announced plans in June to work together to fast-track vaccine acquisition across the continent. The programme aims to complement the work of COVAX and supports the African Union's target to vaccinate 60% of the continent's population by 2022.

Written by

Joe Myers, Writer, Formative Content

The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the World Economic Forum.

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Which countries have administered the fewest COVID-19 jabs? - World Economic Forum