EU leaders agree to donate 100 million doses of vaccines

EU leaders have agreed to donate at least 100 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine to poorer nations by the end of the year

BRUSSELS -- EU leaders agreed Tuesday to donate at least 100 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to poorer nations by the end of the year as supplies steadily rise across Europe. Gathered in Brussels for a two-day summit, the 27 leaders backed a text in which they pledge to continue efforts “to increase global vaccine production capacities in order to meet global needs." Leaders also called “for work to be stepped up to ensure global equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines" and reiterated their support for the U.N.-backed COVAX program. COVAX aims to ensure equitable access to COVID-19 shots for low-and middle-income countries. The program suffered a major setback last week when its biggest supplier, the Serum Institute of India, announced it would likely not export any more vaccines until the end of the year due to the COVID-19 crisis on the subcontinent.