A total of 172 countries, including Japan, have expressed interest in joining COVAX, a framework of nations that will jointly purchase and distribute vaccines for the new coronavirus, the World Health Organization said Monday.
These countries account for more than 70% of the world's population. The goal is to supply 2 billion doses of coronavirus vaccine by the end of 2021.
The WHO and Gavi -- an international organization that supports vaccination in developing countries -- are promoting COVAX, which is currently connected with nine vaccines under development.
Two vaccines being developed by British drugmaker AstraZeneca PLC and U.S. drugmaker Moderna Inc., respectively, are in the final stages of clinical trials.
The WHO has asked countries to finalize their decision on whether to join COVAX by the end of August and to make their first financial contribution by Oct. 9.
The mechanism of a globally coordinated rollout will be "in the interests of all countries," WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a press briefing on Monday. "It also means that prices will be kept as low as possible."
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