As concerns grow that the Indian variant of COVID-19 may plunge Europe into further lockdowns it is time to demand we vaccinate the whole world now

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM, May 17, 2021 /EINPresswire.com/ -- 'Vaccinate Our World? Campaign - Europe Press Launch
Virtual Press Conference 2-3pm BST, 18 May 2021
Register Here

Advocates and government leaders to demand faster and greater global vaccine access, better international collaboration and also discuss problems with COVAX, vaccine nationalism, vaccine hesitancy as well as the inequalities of vaccine roll out in poorer nations across Europe and the globe

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the largest provider of HIV/AIDS care and treatment worldwide, will host a London-based virtual Zoom press conference to demand international collaboration to Vaccinate Our World against COVID-19. The press call will feature public health advocates and government officials from the UK, Europe, Africa and the US who will issue calls for faster and more widespread global vaccine access as well as call on the UK and EU to follow the Biden administration?s lead on the temporary suspension of COVID 19 vaccine patents.

Speakers will also address the inequalities in the European and global vaccine roll out, discuss vaccine nationalism and hesitancy and cite lessons learned from the earliest days of the AIDS pandemic. The London press conference?part of the UK/EU launch of the new VOW campaign?is one of four VOW press events held globally throughout May.
WHAT: Virtual Zoom press conference for the UK & Europe Launch of the Vaccinate Our World Campaign
WHEN: 2-3pm BST Tuesday, 18 May 2021
WHO:
AHF Founder and President Michael Weinstein
Dr. Tamar Gabunia First Deputy Minister, Ministry of Labor, Health and Social Affairs Georgia
Baroness Sheehan, the UK All-Party Parliamentary Group on Vaccinations for All
MEP Dr. Juozas Olekas, Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament
AHF Africa Bureau Chief Dr. Penninah Iutung
AHF Europe Bureau Chief Zoya Shabarova
JOIN: Register for the virtual press conference here and pre submit questions for the Q&A
ALL ASSETS: Available for download from PA Media Centre

The ?VOW? call to action was first introduced in mid-April with a worldwide social media campaign and a series of 22 full-page newspaper ads in prominent daily papers in eight countries across the globe. The multimedia global advocacy campaign for VOW continued with virtual press events in Bangkok, Johannesburg, S?o Paulo and now London - virtually for UK, European and other interested media.

For the UK/Europe event, on 18 May AHF Europe Bureau Chief Zoya Shabarova will be joined by AHF Founder and President Michael Weinstein and AHF Africa Bureau Chief Dr. Penninah Iutung, to discuss patents, vaccine hesitancy, COVAX and inequalities in the European roll out. Joining them will be Dr. Tamar Gabunia First Deputy Minister, Ministry of Labor, Health and Social Affairs Georgia, Baroness Sheehan from the UK All-Party Parliamentary Group on Vaccinations for All and MEP Dr. Juozas Olekas, Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament.

As of May 13, more than 1.37 billion vaccine doses have been administered worldwide, with 83% going to wealthy countries. Low-income countries have received only 0.3%. ? NYT Vaccine Tracker via Our World in Data project at the University of Oxford.

Despite public commitment to equity the UK and EU are amongst the worst COVID 19 vaccine hoarders. The UK is the second largest hoarder in the world according to the latest data on vaccine procurement from Duke Global Health Innovation Centre, having purchased enough vaccine to cover more than four times its population. EU is in the top six having purchased enough vaccine to cover more than twice its population. But this short-sighted nationalism is putting the whole of humanity in danger and prolonging the pandemic as outbreaks provide a petri dish for potential vaccine resistant mutations to evolve.

??We are tired of endless promises by our governments that one day we will be vaccinated. We do not want to hear explanations of why it?s impossible to deliver on earlier promises -- because there is no valid explanation when people?s lives are at stake. We want to see real actions from our governments and we want to get our vaccines today! If we are to rid the world of COVID-19 ? we must VOW to Vaccinate Our World now??, states Zoya Shabarova, AHF Europe Bureau Chief.

Eastern European countries such as Ukraine and Georgia are especially struggling to purchase COVID 19 vaccines. Only 1.9% of the population in Ukraine is currently vaccinated, while in Georgia it is a mere 1.2%.

?If one nation has COVID-19 and no access to vaccines, all countries remain in danger,? said AHF Africa Bureau Chief Dr. Penninah Iutung. ?The ?VOW? call-to-action is about uniting advocates and government leaders worldwide and shining a spotlight on the immorality of vaccine rationing."

In addition to the press conferences and events coming up in the following weeks, be on the lookout for #VaccinateOurWorld and #VOWnow actions?join the fight and VOW to protect humanity!

Jenny Rose
Barley Communications
07957551697
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