Boris Johnson and other world leaders have called for a global treaty in response to Covid – similar to that agreed after the Second World War.
In the face of vaccine nationalism and clashes between countries, the Prime Minister, French president Emmanuel Macron and German chancellor Angela Merkel – among others – warned against isolationism.
They described the pandemic as a ‘stark and painful reminder that nobody is safe until everyone is safe’.
Writing for newspapers across the world – including The Daily Telegraph – the leaders also urged a new era of solidarity in the face of ‘the biggest challenge to the global community since the 1940s’.
The group of 24 world leaders – and the head of the World Health Organisation Dr Tedros Adhanom – called for a new international accord similar to those agreed after the war which saw countries work together for the common good.
Boris Johnson (pictured yesterday) and other world leaders have called for a global treaty in response to Covid – similar to that agreed after the Second World War
In the face of vaccine nationalism and clashes between countries, the Prime Minister, French president Emmanuel Macron (left) and German chancellor Angela Merkel (right) – among others – warned against isolationism
‘At that time, following the devastation of two world wars, political leaders came together to forge the multilateral system,’ the statement – which was also published in French, Spanish and German news outlets – reads.
‘The aims were clear: to bring countries together, to dispel the temptation of isolationism and nationalism, and to address the challenges that could only be achieved together in the spirit of solidarity and co-operation: namely, peace, prosperity, health and security.’
An agreement ‘should lead to more mutual accountability and shared responsibility, transparency and co-operation within the international system with its rules and norms’, they add.
It comes in the wake of clashes between countries over vaccine supplies as some – including the UK – surge ahead with vaccination programmes.
The European Commission has threatened to block the export of the AstraZeneca jab to the UK after a row over its contract with the company.
Brussels accused AstraZeneca of reneging on its contract to supply the bloc with 120million doses in the first quarter, having only delivered 30million at the time.
Last month, Mr Johnson called for fellow G7 leaders to back a new global pandemic treaty to share health data between countries.
The group agreed to ‘explore the potential value’ of the idea and are due to discuss it at the summit in Cornwall in June.
It follows a row about the origin of the virus and concerns China has withheld information about the virus and access to facilities.
The world leaders conclude that regardless of the origins of this virus, another global pandemic is inevitable.
In the latest stage of Britain’s vaccine rollout, Mr Johnson yesterday revealed GlaxoSmithKline will support the manufacturing of up to 60million doses of the Novavax coronavirus vaccine in the UK.
No10’s vaccines taskforce has signed a deal with British drugs giant GSK to ‘fill and finish’ supplies of the American jab at its factory in Durham starting from May.
Mr Johnson said the move will ‘further boost our vaccine rollout’, which is slow down next month due to a a shortfall of five million AstraZeneca jabs from India.
The GSK deal means the Novavax jabs will not have to leave the UK. The raw chemicals are being produced at a site in Stockton-on-Tees, but the original plan was for the vials to be prepared and packaged in Europe.
Britain has secured 60 million doses of the two-shot Novavax vaccine under an advance purchase agreement with the American firm, enough to fully vaccinate 30 million Britons.
Earlier this month Novavax announced its jab was 89 per cent effective at blocking symptomatic illness and stopped 100 per cent of hospital admissions and deaths.
The Prime Minister told last night’s Downing Street press conference: ‘I’m delighted by GSK’s investment, which shows the strength of UK manufacturing, and will further boost our vaccine rollout.
Britain has secured 60million doses of the Novavax vaccine under an advance purchase agreement with the American firm
The GSK site at Barnard Castle is a specialised facility in GSK’s global manufacturing network which supports production of GSK pharmaceutical and vaccine products
‘The vaccines taskforce has worked hand in glove with business to successfully deliver vaccines to the whole of the UK and this agreement will continue to support our approach.
‘We remain on track to offer a first jab to all over-50s by April 15, and all adults by the end of July, and I want to once again encourage everyone to come forward for a vaccine when you’re called.’
Novavax is due to submit its late-stage trial data to Britain’s medical regulator in the coming weeks and approval is expected in May.
So far three vaccines have been approved by the MHRA – made by Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Moderna – and a fourth developed by Johnson and Johnson is currently under review.
Britain already has enough doses on order from AstraZeneca and Pfizer alone to vaccinate the entire nation with two doses. But officials anticipate ‘booster’ shots will need to be given annually to the elderly and vulnerable because immunity wears off quicker in those groups.
The Novavax jab differs from those already being used in the UK.
It combines a genetically engineered protein that causes a weakened version of Covid with a plant-based ingredient to help generate a stronger immune response.
Novavax says people should be given two doses of the vaccine, three weeks apart.
The vaccine, officially named NVX-CoV2373, can be stored in a regular medical fridge.
The site at Barnard Castle is a specialised facility in global manufacturing network which supports production of GSK pharmaceutical and vaccine products.
The protein antigen component of NVX-CoV2373 is also produced in the North East of England by Novavax’s manufacturing partner, FUJIFILM Diosynth Biotechnologies, at their site in Billingham, Stockton-on-Tees.
Roger Connor, president of GSK vaccines, said: ‘GSK is delighted to support Novavax and the UK vaccines taskforce with this manufacturing arrangement for the UK and our Barnard Castle facility is now undertaking the rapid preparation work required to manufacture up to 60 million doses of this vaccine.
‘We have ensured that we can deliver these volumes without impacting supply of our other vital medicines and vaccines, and without disruption to the other Covid-19 collaborations GSK is engaged in globally.’
It came as Britain’s daily Covid cases dropped 13 per cent in a week with 4,654 more infections yesterday.
Deaths have risen slightly to 23 — up from 17 last Monday. But the Department of Health’s official fatality toll relies on registrations, meaning day-to-day counts can fluctuate.
Experts would be baffled by any genuine spike in deaths because infection rates have not spiralled out of control since schools in England reopened on March 8.
The mammoth vaccine drive, which has now reached 30.4million vulnerable adults, will also save thousands of lives.
Mr Johnson yesterday warned Britons ‘don’t risk the progress we’ve made’, as England stepped out of lockdown straight into a three-day spring heatwave, with temperatures hitting 66.2F (24C) this afternoon and a predicted 76F tomorrow and Wednesday – just shy of the all-time record of 78F.
Meanwhile, Professor Chris Whitty warned last night that Britain’s ‘wall of vaccination’ against Covid is ‘leaky’ because jabs aren’t 100 per cent effective and millions have still yet to be fully inoculated,
England’s chief medical officer acknowledged the wall — designed to stop the NHS from being overwhelmed and thousands from dying in the event of a third wave — will get stronger when top-up doses are dished out en masse in April.
But when asked if the UK was really at risk of enduring a third wave when lockdown restrictions are eased over the coming months, Professor Whitty said it is ‘not complete’.
Addressing the country from Downing St’s new £2.6million White House-style press briefing room, he said: ‘It’s a kind of a leaky wall, and therefore there will always be some people who either have chosen not to be vaccinated, or where the vaccine has had much less effect.’
Flanked by Mr Johnson and Sir Patrick Vallance, Professor Whitty also warned it was ‘inevitable’ infections would rise when restrictions are relaxed over the coming months. He claimed reopening schools in England has already caused Covid cases to flatten off.
Pointing to Sir Patrick’s slide that showed how the rate of coronavirus hospitalisations among four different age groups would be drastically lower if everyone was vaccinated, Professor Whitty said ‘we do have kind of a wall of vaccination that will get stronger with the second vaccines.
‘And I want to repeat my emphasis it is critical people get their second vaccine.
‘But it is not a complete wall, it is a kind of leaky wall. Therefore, there will always be some people who either have chosen not to be vaccinated, or where the vaccine has had much less effect.
‘If we get a small surge, there will be cases of people who have been vaccinated who will have severe disease, and there will be cases of people who are not vaccinated, a much higher proportion, who will get severe disease, and some of those will go on to die.’