NICOLA Sturgeon has been urged to speak out as “shameful” stats reveal the UK Government has delivered less than 10% of promised vaccine doses to low income countries, according to a report.
The report, A Dose Of Reality, found that of the 1.8 billion Covid vaccine donations promised by rich nations only 261 million doses – 14% – have been delivered to date, while western pharmaceutical companies have delivered only 12% of the doses they allocated to Covax, the initiative designed to help low- and middle-income countries get fair access to Covid vaccines.
The UK Government has only delivered 9.6 million – less than 10% - of the 100 million doses it promised to poorer nations. Meanwhile it has itself taken half a million doses from Covax.
Scottish members of the People’s Vaccine Alliance, Oxfam Scotland, Global Justice Now Scotland and Christian Aid Scotland, are urging the First Minister to speak out.
Jamie Livingstone, head of Oxfam Scotland, said: “The First Minister has a duty to speak out and call for the UK Government to compel pharmaceutical companies to share their lifesaving vaccines and technology with the rest of the world.”
Meanwhile, Health Secretary Sajid Javid will lead a Downing Street press conference as the Government faces pressure from health chiefs to impose coronavirus restrictions amid mounting concern about rising cases and a faltering vaccination programme.
Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation which represents health bodies, warned “we risk stumbling into a winter crisis” unless measures such as face masks and vaccine passports – the Government’s “Plan B” for the coming months – are introduced in England.
In Scotland, a further 26 coronavirus fatalities were recorded in the last 24 hours.
The statistics show there were 2768 Covid cases since the previous day and the daily test positivity rate was 7.1%.
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