Global solution to COVID-19 in sight, ‘we sink or we swim together’ – WHO chief

21 September 2020

Health UN

Roughly 64 per cent of the global population lives in a nation that has either committed to, or is eligible to join, the coronavirus Vaccines Global Access Facility, or COVAX, which enables participating Governments to spread the risk and costs of vaccine development and provide their populations with early access to vaccines. 

Working together through the COVAX Facility “is not charity, it’s in every country’s best interest. We sink or we swim together”, said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, head of the World Health Organization (WHO).

Vaccine nationalism’ will prolong pandemic

prolong  v. /prəˈlɒŋ/ to make sth last longer 延长 • The operation could prolong his life by two or three years. 这次手术可使他多活两三年。

Speaking at a press briefing with the international vaccine alliance GAVI, and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), the WHO chief said that commitment agreements have been secured and the COVAX Facility would begin signing contracts with vaccine manufacturers and developers.

GAVI:国际疫苗联盟

Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI)：防疫改革联合

The overarching goal of the COVAX Facility is to ensure that all countries have access to vaccines at the same time, and that priority is given to those most at risk, according to the WHO chief.

overarching  adj. /ˌəʊvərˈɑːtʃɪŋ/ very important, because it includes or influences many things 非常重要的；首要的；概莫能外的

“The COVAX Facility will help to bring the pandemic under control, “save lives, accelerate the economic recovery and ensure that the race for vaccines is a shared endeavour, not a contest that only the rich can win”, he upheld. “Vaccine nationalism will only perpetuate the disease and prolong the global recovery”.

Endeavour  v. 努力，尽力 n. 努力，尝试；事业

perpetuate  v. /pəˈpetʃueɪt/ 使永久化；使持久化；使持续 • to perpetuate injustice 持续造成不公正

More commitment needed

So far, $3 billion have been invested in the ACT Accelerator – only a tenth of the required $35 for scale-up and impact.

Tedros stressed that $5 billion is needed “immediately to maintain momentum and stay on track for our ambitious timelines”.

momentum  n. /məˈmentəm/  

1.the ability to keep increasing or developing 推进力；动力；势头 •The fight for his release gathers momentum each day. 争取使他获释的斗争声势日益加强。

2.a force that is gained by movement 冲力 •The vehicle gained momentum as the road dipped. 那辆车顺着坡越跑冲力越大。

3.( technical 术语 )  动量

“Our challenge now is to take the tremendous promise of the ACT Accelerator and COVAX to scale”, he said, adding, “we are at a critical point and we need a significant increase in countries’ political and financial commitment”.  

The WHO chief cited estimates suggesting that once an effective vaccine has been distributed, and international travel and trade is fully restored, “the economic gains will far outweigh” the $38 billion investment required for the Accelerator.

“This isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s the smart thing to do”, he spelled out.

COVAX realized

 “COVAX is now in business”, said Gavi CEO Seth Berkley. “Governments from every continent have chosen to work together, not only to secure vaccines for their own populations, but also to help ensure that vaccines are available to the most vulnerable everywhere”. 

“With the commitments we’re announcing today for the COVAX Facility, as well as the historic partnership we are forging with industry, we now stand a far better chance of ending the acute phase of this pandemic, once safe, effective vaccines become available”.

acute  adj. /əˈkjuːt/adj. 严重的，[医] 急性的；敏锐的；激烈的；尖声的

acute phase 急性期指的是病变最快的时期

‘Great leap’ forward

Meanwhile, CEPI CEO Richard Hatchett called the international community’s coming together to tackle the pandemic “a landmark moment in the history of public health”. 

“The global spread of COVID-19 means that it is only through equitable and simultaneous access to new lifesaving COVID-19 vaccines that we can hope to end this pandemic,” he said. “Countries coming together in this way shows a unity of purpose and resolve to end the acute phase of this pandemic. Today, we have taken a great leap towards that goal, for the benefit of all”.

simultaneous  adj. /ˌsɪmlˈteɪniəs/  happening or done at the same time as sth else 同时发生（或进行）的；同步的

• There were several simultaneous attacks by the rebels. 反叛者同时发动了几起攻击。

• simultaneous translation/interpreting 同声传译

原文链接：https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/09/1072932