Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Priyanka Chopra backs Unicef's open letter to G7 on sharing Covid vaccines

Priyanka Chopra backs Unicef's open letter to G7 on sharing Covid vaccines

MILLIONS of Covid-19 vaccines will be wasted if rich countries do not donate large amounts of leftover doses to poorer nations in one go, UNICEF has warned in an open letter published on Tuesday (8) ahead of the three-day G7 summit in Cornwall.

The call for vaccine sharing is backed by UNICEF goodwill ambassadors Priyanka Chopra Jonas, David Beckham, Katy Perry, Orlando Bloom and Whoopi Goldberg among other 28 high-profile ambassadors who have asked G7 leaders commit to donating doses of Covid-19 vaccines to poorer countries.


“The world has spent a year and a half battling the Covid-19 pandemic, but the virus is still spreading in many countries and producing new variants with the potential to put us all back where we started,” the letter reads. “This means more school closures, more healthcare disruptions, and greater economic fallout – threatening the futures of families and children everywhere.”

The letter goes on to warn that COVAX, the global initiative supporting poorer countries to gain access to vaccines, is already facing a shortfall of 190 million doses. The plea proposes that, in order to help cover this shortfall, G7 countries donate 20 per cent of their vaccines between June and August as a temporary stopgap measure to compensate for this shortfall.

“Some countries have committed to donating vaccines later this year, but doses are needed now,” says the letter.

Pointing out that “this weekend’s G7 Summit is a vital opportunity” for nations to agree on the actions, the letter urges leaders to set out a roadmap to scale-up donations as supplies increase, noting that analysis shows that G7 nations can do so without significantly delaying their current plans to vaccinate domestic adult populations.

“As many as one billion doses may be available for donation by year-end,” says the letter.

Actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas said the crisis in India shows why “we must act now to avoid further deadly mutations ravaging low- and middle-income nations around the world.” She added that Unicef and its COVAX partners are ensuring vaccines and treatments reach the world’s most vulnerable populations, but said more needed to be done.

“A clear solution to this is G7 countries committing to sharing their surplus COVID-19 vaccine doses immediately with the countries whose health workers and vulnerable populations need them the most,” said the actress.

Beckham said the pandemic won’t be over “until it’s over everywhere, so it’s vital that all communities around the world have fair access to COVID-19 vaccines urgently.”

More For You

Voices of Faith - Day 2: A profound confluence of spirituality, music, and dialogue

Barnaby Rogerson in conversation with Anthony Sattin (L) on day 2 of Voices of Faith

Voices of Faith - Day 2: A profound confluence of spirituality, music, and dialogue

Mahesh Liloriya

The second day of Voices of Faith unfolded with an enchanting blend of music, philosophy, and intellectual exploration at the Barbican Centre, London. This inaugural festival, curated by Teamwork Arts—the force behind the Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF) and JLF London—has been made possible by the Kamini and Vindi Banga Family Trust, with the support of Tech Mahindra. Eastern Eye and Garavi Gujarat serve as the official media partners, amplifying the festival’s reach and resonance.

Session 1- Echoes of eternity: The timeless notes of Kabir

Keep ReadingShow less
starmer-immigration

Speaking at the Organised Immigration Crime Summit, Starmer said the government is working to restore order to the immigration system.

UK returns 24,000 illegal migrants since July, highest in eight years

THE UK government has returned over 24,000 individuals with no legal right to remain in the country since July, marking the highest rate of removals in eight years, prime minister Keir Starmer said on Monday.

Speaking at the Organised Immigration Crime Summit, Starmer said the government is working to restore order to the immigration system.

Keep ReadingShow less
'Aga Khan dedicated his life to service, peace, and pluralism'

Baroness Patricia Scotland speaks at an Iftar dinner held at the Ismaili Centre in London (Photo: The Ismaili National Council for the United Kingdom)

'Aga Khan dedicated his life to service, peace, and pluralism'

THE outgoing head of the Commonwealth has paid tribute to the late Prince Karim Aga Khan, describing him as a visionary leader whose lifelong dedication to service, peace, and pluralism has left a lasting impact on the world.

Speaking at an Iftar dinner held at the Ismaili Centre in London last Wednesday (26), Baroness Patricia Scotland, who steps down as Commonwealth secretary general on 1 April, reflected on her personal connection with the Aga Khan, recalling their meetings during Commonwealth Day celebrations at Westminster Abbey.

Keep ReadingShow less
Starmer-Trump-Getty

Trump has suggested the possibility of a 'great' trade deal that could help the UK mitigate the impact of tariffs he has pledged to introduce. (Photo: Getty Images)

Starmer, Trump talk trade deal progress in 'productive' discussion

KEIR STARMER and Donald Trump spoke on Sunday about ongoing UK-US trade negotiations, with Downing Street describing the talks as "productive."

Since leaving the European Union, the UK has been working to secure a trade agreement with the United States. Successive British governments have pursued a deal, but it has remained elusive.

Keep ReadingShow less
Myanmar-quake-rescue-Reuters

Rescuers carry the body of a victim during search and rescue operations, following a strong earthquake, in Bangkok, Thailand, March 30. (Photo: Reuters)

Myanmar earthquake death toll rises to 1,700, UK pledges £10m in aid

RESCUE efforts continued in Myanmar as residents searched for survivors in collapsed buildings in Mandalay, two days after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck the country. The disaster has killed at least 1,700 people in Myanmar and 17 in neighbouring Thailand.

The quake hit near Mandalay on Friday afternoon, followed minutes later by a 6.7-magnitude aftershock. The tremors caused widespread destruction, damaging buildings, bridges, and roads in the city of more than 1.7 million people.

Keep ReadingShow less