UK to begin global vaccine rollout by June 2022

LONDON: Britain announced on Wednesday it would begin donating millions of coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine doses around the world, including Commonwealth countries, following its pledge to provide 100 million jabs globally by next June.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the rollout of an initial nine million inoculations from Friday would go to Kenya, Jamaica and several Asian nations.

“They will go to countries, vulnerable places like Laos and Cambodia, partners like Indonesia, Malaysia (and) a range of Commonwealth countries from Kenya to Jamaica,” he said.

“This demonstrates we’re not just doing it because it’s in our own interest. It shows global Britain as a life-saving force for good in the world.”

During the early stages of distribution, five million doses are being offered to Covax.

It will distribute them to lower-income countries in “an equitable allocation system which prioritises delivering vaccines to people who most need them,” the UK foreign office said.

Another 4 million doses will be shared directly with countries in need, with Indonesia to receive 600,000 doses and Jamaica sent 300,000.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson will agree an initial offer of 817,000 doses for Kenya when he meets President Uhuru Kenyata on Wednesday.

The pair are due to host a fundraising summit in London on Thursday focused on global education efforts atended by other world leaders, business, charity, education and youth representatives.

Around half of the donated Astrazeneca vaccine doses will be dispatched to Nairobi this week, Downing Street said ahead of the meetings.

“As friends and allies, we are sharing UK vaccine doses to support Kenya’s fight against the pandemic,” Johnson added in a statement.

Meanwhile, fully vaccinated travellers from the United States and much of Europe will be able to enter England and Scotland without quarantining starting next week, UK officials said on Wednesday - a move welcomed by Britain’s ailing travel industry.

The British government said people who have received both doses of a vaccine approved by the FDA in the US or the European Medicines Agency, which regulates drugs for the European Union and several other countries, will be able to take pre- and post-arrival coronavirus tests instead of self-isolating for 10 days ater entering England.

The rule change takes effect at 4am UK time (0300 GMT) on Monday.

The Scotish government, which sets its own health policy, made the same decision.

Wales and Northern Ireland haven’t announced what they plan to do.