COVID-19: Whistle-blower says US lacks vaccine plan, as WHO warns 250m Africans could catch virus

A Whistle-blower, Rick Bright has informed that the United States lacks a plan to produce and fairly distribute a coronavirus vaccine when it eventually becomes available in the country.

Rick Bright who claimed to have been removed from a high-level scientific post after warning the administration of US President Donald Trump to prepare for the pandemic also warns that US could face ‘darkest winter in modern history’ unless leaders act decisively, he told a congressional panel.

Bright said, “We don’t have [a vaccine plan] yet, and it is a significant concern.” Asked if lawmakers should be worried, he responded, “absolutely”.

Bright, a vaccine expert who led a biodefence agency in the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said; “The country needs a plan to establish a supply chain for producing tens of millions of doses of a vaccine, and then allocating and distributing them fairly.

READ ALSO: COVID-19: The world will never be the same again even if vaccine is found —Canadian PM

“So far with an antiviral drug that has been found to benefit COVID-19 patients has not given him much confidence about distribution. Hospital pharmacies have reported problems getting limited supplies,” he added.

Meanwhile, scientists at the World Health Organization say nearly a quarter of a billion people in Africa could catch coronavirus in a year.

Their study, published in BMJ Global Health, says between 150,000 and and 190,000 Africans could die from Covid-19.

aljazeera.com/news/2020/05/coronavirus-whistle-blower-tells-congress-lacks-vaccine-plan-200514170413172.html 5.5 million people would need hospital treatment, overwhelming services already struggling to treat malaria, tuberculosis and HIV.

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