President Joe Biden announced that the U.S. will contribute $4 billion to international COVID vaccination in his address to the G-7 Group of Nations. It is generally accepted that ending the pandemic will depend on global action in addition to the ongoing vaccination campaign in the U.S.
Funds for the international initiative were appropriated by Congress in December 2020 with bipartisan support, although opposed by the White House. It is intended that $2 billion will be assigned to the non-profit Global Vaccine Alliance (Gavi) the leader of Covax. This organization will deliver vaccine to 92 low and middle-income nations.
The Administration is focusing on vaccinating the U.S. population and will only consider donating surplus vaccines when an adequate domestic supply is available. An Administration spokesperson stated, “In addition to saving a lot of lives it is the right thing to do from a national security and economic perspective to benefit everyone in America.”