Britain said on Sunday it has helped raise $1 billion (818 million euros) from global donors towards the drive to help "vulnerable countries" access coronavirus vaccines, by match-funding contributions.

The UK said, in addition, it has committed �548 million to the COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC), after matching with �1 every $4 pledged by other donors.

Canada, Japan and Germany are among the countries to make contributions that it matched, helping the AMC raise more than $1.7 billion in total so far.

The fund will allow for the distribution of one billion Covid-19 vaccine doses to 92 developing countries this year, according to Britain's Foreign Office.

"We'll only be safe from this virus, when we're all safe -- which is why we're focused on a global solution to a global problem," Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said in a statement.

The announcement came as Britain marks the 75th anniversary of the first meeting of the United Nations General Assembly in London, hosting UN Secretary-General Ant�nio Guterres for a so-called virtual visit starting Sunday.

In remarks to be delivered at a virtual commemoration event, Guterres said the world was "at a 1945 moment", but this time in its war "against a microscopic virus".

"The pandemic has revealed the deep fragilities in our world," he added, calling it a human tragedy but also an opportunity to increase global cooperation on a host of issues.

"The past months have shown that huge transformations are possible, when there is political will and consensus on the way forward"

Guterres will on Monday meet Raab and Prime Minister Boris Johnson, as well as Alok Sharma, who was this week designated full-time president of the UN's next major climate summit, COP26, in November.

Sharma had previously done the role part-time alongside his UK government job of secretary of state for business, energy and industrial strategy, which he left Friday.

Also on Monday, Guterres and global leaders will try to reignite international environmental diplomacy with a biodiversity summit to launch a critical year for efforts to stem the devastating effects of global warming and species loss.

The One Planet Summit, a largely virtual event hosted by France in partnership with the United Nations and the World Bank, will include French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and European Union chief Ursula Von der Leyen.

Seychelles begins virus vaccination using Chinese drug
Victoria, Seychelles (AFP) Jan 10, 2021 - The Indian Ocean archipelago of the Seychelles began vaccinating its population against the coronavirus Sunday, the first African nation to do so.

The country's president, Wavel Ramkalawan, was the first to receive the jab, an event broadcast on live television at a hospital in the capital Victoria. Several dozen other public figures joined him.

"It's exactly as if I was getting any vaccine," he said, encouraging all the people of the island nation to get the injection.

The country is using the Chinese vaccine developed by the Chinese pharma giant Sinopharm with its subsidiary the China National Biotec Group (CNBG).

Health Minister Peggy Vidot said Thursday that the country had received a donation of 50,000 doses of the vaccine from the United Arab Emirates.

Health workers will start being vaccinated on Monday, and then people aged over 65, followed by distribution to the rest of the population.

The Seychelles hopes to vaccinate 70 percent of its population within two to three months, at a rate of 1,000 per day.

The archipelago of 115 mostly uninhabited islands and islets has a population of 98,000, and initially appeared to have staved off the pandemic, initiating a swift lockdown in April last year which was lifted a month later with only 11 cases recorded.

However cases have jumped since December, with a total of 508 now recorded, one of which was fatal.

The number of daily cases is rising, with 57 recorded on Saturday.

Ramkalawan said the country was also expecting delivery at the end of January of another 50,000 doses of the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine, a donation from the Indian government.

Jordan PM, ministers have had Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine: health minister
Amman (AFP) Jan 10, 2021 - Jordan's Prime Minister Bisher al-Khasawneh and several other members of the government received the Chinese Sinopharm novel coronavirus vaccine during its testing phase, the health minister said Sunday.

"Jordan took part in clinical trials for the Chinese vaccine. The prime minister and several other ministers, including myself, received the vaccine," Nazir Obeidat said at a press conference.

"The vaccines that have been bought for the vaccination campaign in the kingdom are all safe and effective," he added, urging Jordanians to come forward for the jabs.

Jordan is set to start its vaccination campaign on Wednesday.

It said Saturday it had approved the Sinopharm vaccine for emergency use, after giving the Pfizer-BioNTech jab the green light.

Sinopharm says its vaccine is 79 percent effective against the novel coronavirus.

Jordan's health minister said in November that vaccines would be distributed free of charge to Jordanians and foreign residents.

The Hashemite kingdom has officially registered more than 305,000 novel coronavirus cases and nearly 4,000 deaths.

Related Links
Epidemics on Earth - Bird Flu, HIV/AIDS, Ebola

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

A year after first death in China, coronavirus source still a puzzle
Wuhan, China (AFP) Jan 10, 2021
It is the world's most pressing scientific puzzle, but experts warn there may never be conclusive answers over the source of the coronavirus, after an investigative effort marked from the start by disarray, Chinese secrecy and international rancour. January 11 marks the anniversary of China confirming its first death from Covid-19, a 61-year-old man who was a regular at the now-notorious Wuhan wet market. Nearly two million deaths later, the pandemic is out of control across much of the world, l ... read more