Biden said about 100 low- and middle-income countries would benefit from the program. The first orders are expected to be delivered in August. 200 million doses will be delivered to those in need later this year. Washington will order a Pfizer product.
According to some experts, Washington’s gesture should be only the beginning, because the demand for vaccines in poor regions of the world far exceeds the number that President Biden just announced.
According to the Associated Press, “The Biden administration’s decision to donate the Pfizer vaccines raised doubts about whether the doses would actually go to the ‘poorest of the poor’ because the preparation had to be kept at very low temperatures.” AP journalists noted that “many low-income countries with limited infrastructure are unlikely to be able to transport vaccines to remote areas.”
The African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC, the public health agency of the African Union) has already announced that it will likely advise member states to use Pfizer’s vaccines in large cities. “Despite this, Biden’s promise was cause for celebration,” said Dr. John Nkengasong, director of the Africa Center for Disease Control.