Statement

Unity is delivering for the world – 100 countries and counting have
received life-saving COVID-19 vaccines via COVAX

By Leon Wang, Executive Vice President, International, AstraZeneca, and

Aurélia Nguyen, Managing Director, COVAX Facility, hosted by Gavi, the Vaccines Alliance.

International cooperation delivering the power of science

The breakthroughs achieved by science in developing highly effective vaccines against
COVID-19 are nothing short of extraordinary. What once took up to a decade has been done
in less than a year. This is primarily a result of remarkable international cooperation.

Yet the impact of those achievements will be dangerously undermined unless the whole
world has access to COVID-19 vaccines. Together, we must ensure that a two-tier system
does not develop between those who have access to vaccines, and those who do not.

That is why COVAX, the first-of-its-kind multilateral initiative to distribute vaccines around the
world, including for those most in need and least able to pay, is so critical. Set up by some of
the world’s leading health bodies – including Gavi, the Vaccines Alliance, the World Health
Organization and CEPI, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations – COVAX is
the largest vaccination programme in history and is on track to ensure that all people,
regardless of income or where they live, have access to safe, effective COVID-19 vaccines.

Ultimately, global protection against the disease will depend on its success.

Protecting the most vulnerable populations around the world

This week, COVAX reached a major milestone – with almost 40 million doses distributed to
100 countries and counting. The fact this has been achieved in just over a month is
testament to the vital approach of international partnership and unity behind this mission.

But there is no intention of stopping at 100 countries. The WHO and global leaders have
stressed the stark lesson from the COVID-19 pandemic: that ‘nobody is safe until everyone
is safe’. And they are absolutely right. AstraZeneca and its partners within COVAX will not
rest until all communities and economies are protected from the virus and able to stand up
strong again.

In striving to ensure that deliveries are equitable, COVAX is supplying countries across six
regions globally – Africa, Americas, Eastern Mediterranean, Europe, Southeast Asia and
Western Pacific. For some, especially in the developing world, these deliveries are the first
shipments of vaccine since the pandemic response began, making COVAX a critical lifeline
in combating a disease that has inflicted untold human suffering and decimated economies.
In the coming weeks, the second wave of vaccine deliveries will start to take place.

The rollout is moving at unprecedented pace, with the goal of distributing two billion1 COVAX
doses to 190 countries by the end of the year. This will be enough to protect the most
vulnerable populations and high-risk groups, including frontline health workers. The
AstraZeneca vaccine, which represents the vast majority of the supply of COVAX doses in
the first half of this year, is being supplied at cost, rather than for profit, irrespective of a
nation’s income level: a move other manufacturers will hopefully follow. With a programme of
this scale and ambition, it will not always be smooth – developing and manufacturing
vaccines is a complex, biological operation and the logistics involved in supplying dozens of
countries around the same time are extensive. But all COVAX partners are committed to
working together to deliver on its shared objective.

Shared learnings through the pandemic

Fifteen months since it began, the pandemic has taught us many things, including that
COVID-19 is indiscriminate of age, sex or geography. Whether you are rich or poor – it can
strike. We must not forget that over 2.9 million people worldwide have died from COVID-19
infection. But the pandemic has also taught us that when the world works together it can
achieve remarkable things in record-breaking time.

There is no doubt that vaccinating populations across the planet represents the biggest
public health programme in history. Nothing on this scale has ever been attempted before.
But it will only achieve its goal – one world protected – if doses are delivered promptly and
vaccination campaigns are efficiently carried out on the ground.

That is why intense collaboration is required every step of the way: from developers and
manufacturers, to governments, donors and coordinating authorities, to logistics providers
shipping supply across borders in record time, and the dedicated healthcare workers who
are tirelessly administering the vaccines.

It is collaboration that has got us this far and it is collaboration that will ensure all of humanity
– not just those that can afford it – is ultimately protected. If COVID-19 has reminded us of
our collective vulnerability, it has also shown that when we unite, we are so much stronger.

With a virus that knows no boundaries, COVAX is an opportunity for the world to show that it
can look and act beyond boundaries too, and throw a protective blanket over as many
people as possible. A virus-free future depends on us all working together.

*****

AstraZeneca
AstraZeneca (LSE/STO/Nasdaq: AZN) is a global, science-led biopharmaceutical
company that focuses on the discovery, development and commercialisation of
prescription medicines, primarily for the treatment of diseases in three therapy areas -
Oncology, Cardiovascular, Renal & Metabolism, and Respiratory & Immunology. Based
in Cambridge, UK, AstraZeneca operates in over 100 countries and its innovative
medicines are used by millions of patients worldwide. Please visit astrazeneca.com and
follow the Company on Twitter @AstraZeneca

For media inquiries please contact:

Asheela Ganapathy | 012-697 7639 | asheela.ganpathy@webershandwick.my
Desiree Ann | 016-916 8815 | desiree.ann@webershandwick.my

2
References:
1. Who Health Organisation. COVAX Announces new agreement, plans for first deliveries. Available
from https://www.who.int/news/item/22-01-2021-covax-announces-new-agreement-plans-for-first-
deliveries. Last accessed April 16, 2021.

Approved: MY_AZ_MY-6674_16/04/2021