The US is not joining COVAX
- fionacsweet
- Sep 1, 2020
- 2 min read
What is COVAX, you may ask? And why are we not joining it? I will explain.
COVAX stands for the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access Facility. More simply, it is a cooperative effort linked with the World Health Organization that would allow nations to take advantage of a portfolio of potential vaccines to make sure their citizens are covered by whichever ones are tested and effective. More than 150 countries are currently part of it. The WHO says that even government making deals with individual vaccine makers would benefit from this cooperative because it would provide backup vaccines in case the first choice was not successful or a deal with manufacturers falls out.
Trump has decided to not join COVAX due to its ties with the World Health Organization because he has previously claimed it is in need of reform and is heavily influenced by China. This decision aligns with his earlier decision in July to pull the United States from WHO altogether. The administration's decision, paired with the U.S. withdrawal from WHO, means the U.S. is abdicating America's global leadership in fighting pandemics, according to Tom Hart, North America director at The ONE Campaign, an advocacy organization co-founded by Bono of the rock band U2. He is concerned that this move could completely isolate Americans against an effective vaccine. I agree.
We (as in the U.S.) currently have three vaccines in their final testing stages.
I have always been taught that two heads are better than one. In the situation of a global pandemic, I think that 150 heads are a lot better than one. I genuinely don't understand the harm of joining COVAX. Trump is worried about the WHO's ties to China, but I don't understand how that affects the vaccine problem. If 150 countries are already signed on to join COVAX, I don't think that China is going to suddenly up and sabotage the testings. They need the vaccine as much as the rest of us do. Sharing information in the time of a pandemic is needed. I don't understand why we need to be secret from everyone else; we all need a vaccine and we all need it as soon as possible.
Are you kidding me?! Also I love your bachelor gif