WHO warns against ‘vaccine nationalism,’ urges world leaders to share

The World Health Organization is asking leaders of its 194 member states to sign on to the COVAX Global Vaccines Facility agreement, which would commit wealthier countries to share COVID-19 inoculations with developing nations.

WHO is suggesting to the countries most likely to produce valuable research that sharing is for their own good, according to Reuters, which reports that the organization’s chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, worries that hoarding vaccines locally will extend the pandemic.

“We need to prevent vaccine nationalism,” Tedros reportedly said in a virtual WHO meeting. “Sharing finite supplies strategically and globally is actually in each country’s national interest.”

Tedros has set an Aug. 31 deadline for world leaders to sign the pact.