The United States is to ship over one million doses of Covid-19 vaccines to Laos, Fiji, and Costa Rica.
Axios reports that this allotment is part of the pledge by President Biden to deliver 80 million doses of the vaccine globally as the US seeks to be a leader in distribution on the world stage.
Some 150,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine will be sent to Fiji, while 1.08 million doses of Johson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine will be shipped to Laos through the COVAX initiative.
Meanwhile, 500,000 doses of Pfizer will be shipped through a bilateral agreement to Costa Rica.
Over one million people have been vaccinated in Laos, equating to 14% of the population, while 16% of the population in Costa Rica has been vaccinated.
In Fiji just over 6% of the population has received a Covid-19 vaccine.
US President Joe Biden and members of the G7 group pledged to send 1 billion doses of Covid-19 vaccines to the developing world, with 500 million to come from the United States after experts warned that variants could hinder the global economic recovery.
“Our goals are to increase global COVID-19 vaccination coverage, prepare for surges and prioritize healthcare workers and other vulnerable populations based on public health data and acknowledged best practice, and help our neighbors and other countries in need,” the White House said in a statement last month.
“And, as we have previously stated, the United States will not use its vaccines to secure favors from other countries.”
