The stark reality of the failure of COVAX and its implications for Africa
ABSTRACT The first 18 months of COVAX distribution of COVID-19 vaccines to developing countries have not gone as hoped. As richer countries roll out booster shots, 98% of people in low-income countries remain unvaccinated. The astoundingly unequal COVID-19 vaccine rollout has seen 84.3% of vaccines go to upper-middle- and high-income countries, while just 0.4% go to the world’s poorest. The ambitious COVAX program has contributed just 5% of all vaccines administered globally and recently announced it would miss its two billion target for 2021.. However, even if vaccines are made widely available, African countries still face infrastructure and public perception challenges that will need to be overcome for national roll-out plans to be effective.