Coronavirus live news: Canada has secured nearly 10 vaccine doses per person; US deaths pass 450,000

Canada to receive significant doses from Covax fund meant to ensure access for poor countries; Chile and New Zealand to also receive above-average Covax doses

Canada is entitled to receive shots under the Covax scheme, in which advance purchases by wealthy nations are used to underwrite vaccine development and subsidise doses for poorer countries. It has contributed about $345m, half of which was to pay for its own doses.

But Global health authorities have criticised countries for making private deals – of which Canada has made enough to secure 9.6 doses per person – that they say push up vaccine prices and represent a form of “double-dipping” – taking supplies from Covax while at the same time signing private deals that make it harder for the facility to secure doses that would be shared equitably.

Related: Canada takes Covax vaccines despite side deals

Canada is set to receive a significant haul of vaccines over the next months through a platform designed to maximise supply to poor countries, according to a new forecast, despite reserving the most doses-per-person in the world through direct deals with pharmaceutical companies.

Chile and New Zealand, which have also made controversial side deals to secure their own vaccine supplies, will also receive above-average numbers of doses, according to the interim allocation schedule released by Covax on Wednesday.

Related: Canada takes Covax vaccines despite side deals

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source https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2021/feb/04/coronavirus-live-news-canada-has-secured-nearly-10-vaccine-doses-per-person-us-deaths-pass-450000

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