DISRUPTIONS COULD LIMIT ACCESS TO VACCINE

GENEVA/ZURICH Massive disruptions to global immunization programs from the COVID-19 pandemic have health experts fearful that much of the developing world will not be able to get a vaccine for the new coronavirus, even once one is ready.

UN agencies and the GAVI vaccine alliance said on Friday that 80 million children in at least 68 countries may be at risk of diphtheria, measles and polio because routine immunization efforts have been thrown into disarray by travel restrictions, delivery delays, and parents’ fear of leaving home.

If these continue to disrupt programs, GAVI chief executive Seth Berkley said, much of the world may also be unprepared to administer vaccines against COVID-19 being developed by more than 100 projects worldwide.