Argentina, among countries to receive 55 million vaccines promised by Biden

President Joe Biden delay a deadline for shipping 80 million doses of vaccine overseas against the coronavirus donated by the United States, while millions of doses produced by AstraZeneca Plc they are still subject to a security review.

The White House Biden on Monday announced a list of countries that would receive 55 million doses, after previously detailing the first 25 million. In total, three-quarters of the 80 million will be channeled through the global Covax mechanism, a vaccine purchasing initiative supported by the World Health Organization (WHO).

However, the announcement falls short of the initial US commitment. Biden said he would “ship” 80 million doses by the end of June., and now only agrees to ‘allocate’ them before this date, suggesting that shipments will be delayed until July or later.

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The delay is due in part to a stockpile of 60 million doses of AstraZeneca that he planned to donate, which would represent the majority of the 80 million doses. However, these vaccines remain under study by the United States Food and Drug Administration.

Monday’s White House announcement did not specify which vaccines from manufacturers will make up the 55 million, but instead noted that it would be announced. “As the Administration deals with logistics, regulations and other parameters specific to each region and country.” Just two weeks ago, the administration said it expected AstraZeneca to account for the remaining 55 million doses given this month.

Of the 55 million, around 41 million will go to Covax, of which around 14 million will go to Latin American countries like Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras; about 16 million for Asian countries, including India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Taiwan, the Philippines and Vietnam; and nearly 10 million for Africa, which will go to the countries to be selected in coordination with the African Union.

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The remaining 14 million will be sent bilaterally, even to some of the same countries. The other recipients will be Ukraine, South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Egypt, Iraq and the West Bank.

The 80 million doses are the United States’ first major international donation, in addition to the 4.2 million doses “on loan” to Mexico and Canada earlier this year. Mexico and Canada are not among the recipients of the 55 million allocated on Monday.

The announcement did not specify the timeframe. “We will act as quickly as possible, respecting the legal and regulatory requirements of the United States and recipient countries, to facilitate the safe transport of vaccines across international borders.“the White House said in a statement.

Shipments will begin as soon as countries are ready to receive the doses and after the White House takes care of complex logistics.said a White House official.

Biden initially announced that he would donate 60 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine, then added 20 million doses of vaccines licensed in the United States, i.e. a combination of vaccines from Pfizer Inc., Moderna Inc. and Johnson. Johnson. In May, she announced that she would “send 80 million doses abroad” by the end of June.