UNICEF will prepare 520 million syringes for possible corona vaccinations this year. “This is to ensure that the necessary syringes are available in the countries before the vaccines arrive,” the UN Children’s Fund said Monday.
“Globally vaccinating against Covid-19 will be one of the greatest efforts in human history,” said Henrietta Fore, UNICEF director.
The organization is designated to vaccinate people in 92 low and middle-income countries against the coronavirus.
“We were asked to do this because we are the largest consumer of vaccines in the world, administering more than 2 billion doses of childhood disease vaccines every year,” said a spokeswoman.
There are already plans for 2021. Assuming enough Covid-19 vaccine is available, UNICEF plans to purchase more than a billion syringes. This, in addition to the 620 million that the institution provides for vaccination programs against other diseases such as measles or typhoid.
Several vaccine candidates against Covid-19 are now being tested in humans around the world. Some are already in the critical testing phase for approval.
It is being investigated in thousands of people whether the drug in question actually protects against infection and whether it is well tolerated.