Urgent needs of low-income and middle-income countries for COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics

The COVAX Facility of the ACT Accelerator has agreements to access 2 billion doses of WHO prequalified vaccines during 2021, but this represents only 20% of the vaccine needs of participating countries Most low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) face difficulties in accessing and delivering vaccines and therapeutics for COVID-19 to their populations For 80% of the populations in LMICs that will not benefit from COVAX-provided COVID-19 vaccines, finances for purchase or donations are needed Strengthening the capacity of LMICs to do clinical trials and promoting LMIC participation in research are also crucial Governments in LMICs with strong private health sectors, as those in high-income countries, will need to manage the inherent potential for inequity, whereby the rich could access COVID-19 vaccines before individuals with less access to private care who may be at increased risk of severe disease and death, such as older people and those with comorbidities The COVID-19 pandemic shows that no nation can stand alone We are all part of a common humanity that requires us to respect our diverse experiences, cultures, and countries and forge partnerships that better serve the interests of all (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved)