Biden calls for exemption from intellectual property in vaccines against COVID | Coronavirus pandemic News

Negotiations over World Trade Organization denials are stalled between opposition from some wealthy nations.

US President Joe Biden has called on the countries attending World Trade Organization (WTO) to cancel the meeting next week intellectual property protections about coronavirus vaccines, as international concern is growing over a new variant of coronavirus detected in South Africa.

In a statement on Friday, Biden said the discovery of the new variant shows that the pandemic will not end until it reaches the whole world. equal access to vaccines.

“News about this new variant should make it clearer than ever why it won’t end until there is a global pandemic vaccine,” Biden said. “Today’s news reiterates the importance of moving this forward quickly.”

World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday appointed the new strain of coronavirus – which he named Omicron after a letter in the Greek alphabet – is a “variant of concern.” Omicron has been blamed for a rise in new infections in South Africa.

Concerns about the potential spread of the new variant also prompted several countries, including the US, to announce travel restrictions for people in southern African countries on Thursday and Friday – a move by the South African health minister. he knocked As “unjustified”.

The appearance of Omicron comes from WTO officials as well as 164 member states just days before the November 30 meeting in Geneva.

The WTO negotiations are blocked A proposal from India and South Africa Waiver of intellectual property (IP) rights for vaccinations and supply against COVID-19.

The European Union, as well as the United Kingdom and Switzerland, have spoken out against the move.

India has accused developed countries of “preventing poor countries from gaining access to vaccines” that have resulted in deaths. Didier Chambovey, the Swiss ambassador to the WTO, said on Thursday that the country was open to compromise but continued to oppose a complete refusal.

Although Biden said Friday, some public health experts said the U.S. has not done enough to provide vaccinations abroad.

Although many developing countries still have to give their first shots to the citizens, the US has made progress in recent weeks. booster shots he accepted owners for Americans and children between five and 11 years old.

Biden said on Friday that the U.S. has given more vaccines than all other countries around the world combined, and earlier this year publicly announced IP denial support for COVID-19 vaccines. welcome WHO leaders.

“I call on the nations that will meet for a World Trade Organization ministerial meeting next week to respond to the U.S. challenge to refrain from intellectual property protections against COVID vaccines so that these vaccines can be manufactured worldwide,” Biden said.

“I accepted that attitude in April; Today’s news reiterates the importance of moving this forward quickly. “

Meanwhile, the US said it intends to ban entry to non-US travelers from South Africa, South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, former Swaziland, Mozambique and Malawi from Monday onwards due to Omicron’s concerns. .

“Until I have more information as a precautionary measure, I am calling for additional restrictions on air travel from South Africa and seven other countries,” Biden said.