Right now, it is a fact that the fast global spread of COVID-19 means none of us will be safe from this pandemic until we are all safe. What that means is that only one thing will stop this pandemic in its tracks: a vaccine.
In the UK and in the Cooperative Republic of Guyana families have been pulled apart by death and illness and people have made enormous personal sacrifices to slow the spread of this virus.
The reality is that continued adherence to the rules and restrictions is vital, especially with regards to social distancing and wearing of masks. To be honest too often I have seen people gathering in places such as the seawall or crowding onto public transport. Ignoring the rules and exposing themselves and others to risk.
The UK is the single largest donor to the international fund to develop a COVID-19 vaccine. This will save lives and livelihoods around the world, including in both our countries.
Our scientists at the University of Oxford have begun human trials and are partnering with another British success story AstraZeneca – one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies – to make sure we are ready to manufacture a workable vaccine at scale. And we cannot underestimate the scale of production that will be needed. A scale that will ensure every single person has access to a vaccine.
So far the global sense of community among all countries is remarkable, as we work together towards this common goal to find a cure. The only, and I stress only, way we will succeed is by bringing together our resources, science and expertise to prevent future waves of infection.
As such, the UK is very proud to co-host this week the Coronavirus Global Response International Pledging Conference with Japan, Germany, France, Canada, Norway, Italy, Saudi Arabia and the European Commission.
This is a pledging event aiming to raise US$8 billion from governments and global organisations for the research and development of vaccines, treatments and tests to help end the COVID-19 pandemic and prevent future waves of infection.
The UK has pledged significant support to achieve this aim, including the world’s largest single donation to the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) fund to develop a COVID-19 vaccine.
The more countries, businesses and global organisations pull together to pool their expertise, the faster our scientists will succeed in finding a vaccine, accessible and affordable for all. That is a key goal, not just in finding a vaccine, but to ensure everyone, in every country, has access to it. It must reach the people who need it.
But this week’s pledging event is only the beginning. On 04 June the UK will play virtual host to the Global Vaccine Summit focused on raising funds to help Gavi – the Vaccine Alliance.
To kick off the international investment push, last week the UK Secretary of State for International Development announced new UK funding for Gavi to vaccinate up to 75 million children in the world’s poorest countries. We have pledged funding equivalent to US$410 million a year for the next five years. Gavi’s work is integral to stopping diseases spreading globally and protecting countries like yours and mine from future pandemics.
Gavi has a superb track record delivering life-saving vaccinations, and pledges to the Alliance will help support their work in 68 different countries. Once a COVID-19 vaccine is developed, Gavi will also play an integral role to ensure global distribution.
Gavi is important. Because whilst we focus on combatting COVID-19 we must also continue the fight against other diseases which kill millions every year. That is why we must continue with ‘normal’ vaccinations for children.
As the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, will say at this week’s pledging conference:
‘The race to discover the vaccine to defeat this virus is not a competition between countries, but the most urgent shared endeavour of our lifetimes. We are in this together and together we will win.
There is nothing I can add to that.
