Rabat – The World Health Organization (WHO) has recorded 1,581,509,628 COVID-19 vaccine doses administered worldwide as of June 2. Since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020, the WHO has recorded over 170 million cases of COVID-19 cases and nearly 3.5 million deaths.
While some countries begin their reopening process, others remain locked down, continue to fight, or even face a resurgence of the virus.
The United States leads the world in most confirmed cases at approximately 32 million and is closely trailed by India at approximately 28 million confirmed cases since the start of the pandemic.
Although the two countries are close numerically, the situation on the ground differs entirely.
Many of the US’ strictest states regarding COVID-19 lockdowns have announced their official reopenings. California and New York are set to reduce COVID-19 health restrictions by mid-June. The states will ease mask mandates and allow group gatherings and indoor dining.
The rest of the US has already implemented these new, relaxed measures such as states like Arizona, Texas, and Florida.
As for India and many other countries still plagued by the virus, hospitals continue to overflow and lack necessary resources.
In late April, India’s largest city of Mumbai built hundreds of makeshift pyres to burn the bodies of COVID-19 victims, keeping in line with Hindu traditions. The mass scale of the public cremations was due to overflowing hospitals and record breaking numbers of daily COVID-19 casualties.
At India’s peak, the virus claimed 4,522 lives in a 24-hour timespan.
Read also: New Makeshift Crematoriums Built as India’s COVID-19 Crisis Worsens
The conversation surrounding vaccine nationalism has remained at the forefront of international issues as many states note the inequalities in vaccine distribution.
The WHO responded by creating the COVAX distribution scheme.
Partnered by CEPI and Gavi the Vaccine Alliance (Gavi), the WHO created the COVAX scheme as a vaccine purchase system for the world’s governments.
Countries falling under the “low-to-middle income” category rely on shipments from the COVAX Advance Market Commitment (COVAX-AMC).
The WHO has called upon global actors to start donating more vaccines to the COVAX-AMC and plans to have 2 billion doses of the vaccine available for donation by the end of 2021.
