UN Secy General Bats For Global Solidarity To Combat COVID-19, Says Nations Should Look At Vaccine As Global Public Good

"Diseases know no borders. That is why a fully-funded GAVI (Vaccine Alliance) will be critical to ensure we continue the progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals," said Guterres.

UN Chief Antonio-Guterres

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday, once again reiterated his call to the global community to stand united and express solidarity to fight the wide spread and rampant COVID-19 pandemic. Guterres expressed hope and optimism that nations and global leaders across the world will look at the  COVID-19 vaccine as a global public good, or a people's vaccine. "COVID-19 is the greatest public health crisis of our generation. Right now, there is no vaccine. As we work together to develop one, there is an important lesson we need to understand. A vaccine, by itself, is not enough. We need global solidarity to ensure that every person, everywhere, has access," Guterres said at a virtual global vaccine summit. "A COVID-19 vaccine must be seen as a global public good, a people's vaccine, which a growing number of world leaders are calling for," he added. At the virtual global vaccine summit, Guterres called on participants to make three key commitments: find safe ways to continue delivering vaccinations, even as COVID-19 spreads; use the networks of vaccine-delivery to deliver a range of other primary health services; make sure a COVID-19 vaccine reaches everyone when it becomes available. "Diseases know no borders. That is why a fully-funded GAVI (Vaccine Alliance) will be critical to ensure we continue the progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals," said Guterres.