G7 plan to step up global vaccinations

LONDON: The Group of Seven wealthy democracies yesterday worked on plans to scale up global Covid-19 vaccinations, as calls mounted for a drastic increase in funding to help developing nations.

The foreign minister of India, where Covid cases have soared in recent weeks, participated in the London meeting virtually after potential exposure to the virus.

More than 1.2 billion doses of Covid-19 vaccines have been administered globally, but fewer than 1% in the least developed countries.

Britain’s former prime minister Gordon Brown urged the G7 to provide the bulk of $60 billion that is needed over the next two years to vaccinate the whole world.