The Economist: Uzbekistan will not have widespread access to COVID vaccines before 2023

Uzbekistan will have widespread access to coronavirus vaccines no earlier than 2023, analysts at The Economist Intelligence Unit said.

According to the publication, more than 85 poor countries have the same problem.

The countries of Europe, the USA, Singapore, the UAE and Hong Kong will be the first to have wide access to vaccines.

The document states that some middle-income countries and most low-income countries rely on the COVAX vaccine supply program. The initiative is said to provide 6 billion doses of vaccines to poorer nations. Most of these countries are located on the African continent.

Uzbekistan is on the list of states that will receive wide access to the vaccine at the latest.

The first 2 billion of the 6 billion vaccines will be donated in 2021, mainly to healthcare workers. At the same time, it is noted that doses from COVAX will cover only up to 20% of the population of each country.

“The contrast between rich countries and poorer ones is stark. Most developing countries will not have widespread access to the shots before 2023 at the earliest. Some of these countries - particularly poorer ones with a young demographic profile - may well lose the motivation to distribute vaccines, especially if the disease has spread widely or if the associated costs prove too high,” Agathe Demarais, The Economist Intelligence Unit Global Forecasting Director, said.

Analysts’ forecasts are based on supply agreements, limited production, uncertainty about vaccines, population size and availability of health workers.