#VaxLive: Selena Gomez challenges Emmanuel Macron and other leaders to reallocate vaccines
“Everyone needs to get vaccinated,” the star defends, “whether in our country or in the rest of the world.” American singer Selena Gomez confirmed, Saturday evening, her commitment to the fight for vaccination against Covid-19 on Twitter, by inviting many heads of state, including Emmanuel Macron.
Led by the Global Citizen movement, the singer intends to host, on May 8th, “Vax Live”, a charity concert that brings on stage Jennifer Lopez, Eddie Vader or Foo Fighters, to raise money and “bring back accessible vaccines. For everyone,” To end the epidemic for everyone, everywhere. “
As part of promoting the concert, Selena Gomez privately called on Emmanuel Macron and other G7 leaders to “donate dollars or doses” to allow for a better distribution of vaccines.
Poor countries are forgotten by vaccination
The former Disney Channel icon also addressed European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, asking them to encourage other heads of state and other large corporations to join the process. It has also asked vaccine manufacturers, like Moderna, to provide shots to the poor.
A year ago, with Global Citizen, Lady Gaga performed “One World: Together at Home”, a major concert in honor of healthcare workers around the world, with Elton John, Paul McCartney, Beyoncé, Lizzo or even Angèle. It raised $ 127.9 million.
While most poor countries are now starting to get vaccinated, thanks mainly to the Covax mechanism (WHO, Gavi Alliance, and Cepi Coalition), vaccination remains a privilege for the “high income” countries as defined by the World Bank, which host 16% of the Humans, however, are concentrated 47% of the injected doses in the world.
Twelve countries without a vaccine
Worldwide, 12.9 doses (first and second) have been administered per 100 people. But this figure masks strong disparities: 1.2 doses per 100 people in Africa, compared to 64 in the US / Canada and 26 in Europe. The one-billion mark (at least 1,002,938,540) of Covid vaccines being offered in 207 countries or territories was surpassed on Saturday at the end of the day, according to an AFP tally from official sources.
Twelve countries have not yet vaccinated: seven in Africa (Tanzania, Madagascar, Burkina Faso, Chad, Burundi, Central African Republic, Eritrea), three in Oceania (Vanuatu, Samoa, Kiribati), one in Asia (North Korea) and one. In the Caribbean (Haiti).
For several months now, the WHO has criticized “selfishness” in rich countries that were the first to get vaccines against Covid-19. “In the end, these measures will only prolong the epidemic and our suffering, as well as the restrictions needed to contain it, and the human and economic suffering,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, president of the organization, had already lamented last January.