EU pledges 200 million vaccine doses to low-income nations

By RAF CASERT
Associated Press

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union is committing 200 million more vaccine doses to Africa and low-income nations to help curb the COVID-19 pandemic on a global scale. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen says the new donations come on top of 250 million vaccine shots already committed and underscores the EU resolve to boost the challenge low-income nations are facing. Von der Leyen called the donation an “investment in solidarity and it is an investment also in global health.” Just 3.5% of people across Africa, a continent of 1.3 billion people, have been fully vaccinated. That comes amid frustrations over vaccine hoarding, vaccine export controls and now the rollout of booster shots in richer countries.