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The United States on Monday called on countries to intensify efforts to contain the coronavirus pandemic during 2022, saying that current actions are not enough to achieve a goal of vaccinating 70 percent of the global population by September.
While noting that the highly contagious Omicron variant of the coronavirus is receding in many places, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told a virtual COVID-19 ministerial meeting, “We all know the reality that the pandemic is far from over.”
“The World Health Organization set the goal of vaccinating 70 percent of people in every country across every income level by this September. At the rate we’re going, we are well below our target,” he added.
He also announced the launch of a COVID-19 global action plan to address the “biggest barriers” left in the fight to end the pandemic, including more efforts to get vaccine shots into people’s arms quickly, strengthening supply chains for vaccines and other key supplies and tackling disinformation on the safety of the vaccines.
Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, who attended the virtual meeting, emphasized his country’s contributions to ensure that vaccines are delivered to local vaccination sites, such as by providing refrigerated trucks and other cold chain equipment.
Blinken said Japan has shown leadership in the area with its “Last One Mile Support” program to help about 60 countries and highlighted the need to keep building on the progress.
The discussions are expected to help lay the groundwork for the next COVID-19 leaders’ meeting, which U.S. President Joe Biden hopes to convene in the spring.
Last month, the WHO warned that nearly 90 countries are not on track to reach the 70 percent goal, according to Blinken.
“That means billions of people remain vulnerable to COVID, and the world remains vulnerable to new variants, which may be even more lethal and transmissible than the ones we’ve experienced so far,” the top U.S. diplomat said.
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