Britain is on course to donate tens of millions of Covid-19 vaccines to developing nations, Boris Johnson has said as he urged other world leaders to follow suit.
The Prime Minister, in Rome for the G20 summit, said the UK will send a further 10 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine over the coming week through the Covax programme, taking the total for the year to 30.6 million.
Britain will also pass on a further 20 million doses next year together with all 20 million doses it ordered of the Janssen vaccine which is not being used in the UK domestic vaccination programme.
Officials said it would take the UK 70% of the way towards meeting its target of delivering 100 million surplus doses by the middle of 2022.
It is part of the commitment to vaccinate the world made by leaders at the G7 summit in Cornwall in June.
Addressing the G20, Mr Johnson is expected to say: “Like a waking giant, the world economy is stirring back to life. But the pace of recovery will depend on how quickly we can overcome Covid.
“Our first priority as the G20 must be to press ahead with the rapid, equitable and global distribution of vaccines.”
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