Gordon Brown calls for emergency vaccine airlift to poorer nations

17 October 2021, 13:17

Former PM Gordon Brown wants to send over a billion vaccines to low-income countries
Former PM Gordon Brown wants to send over a billion vaccines to low-income countries. Picture: Alamy

By Elizabeth Haigh

Former UK prime minister Gordon Brown is calling for an emergency airlift of 240 million coronavirus vaccines to help poorer countries and save lives.

Mr Brown said the move could prevent one million coronavirus deaths that are projected in the next year.

An October airlift would be the first stage of his plan to deliver more than one billion unused vaccines to countries in need by February 2022.

He wants the UK, US, EU and Canada to send vaccines to 92 countries where only 5% or less of the population has been vaccinated.

Read more: 'How did they do this?' China fires hypersonic missile around the world before striking target

Mr Brown's plan involves the mobilisation of aircraft and ground support for the "unparalleled distribution" of the 240 million jabs.

He is calling for an emergency summit for leaders Boris Johnson, Joe Biden, Canada's Justin Trudeau and the EC's Ursula von der Leyen.

Read more: UK – US flights to resume from 8 November after 19-month ban

UK could use excess vaccines to help developing countries, Liz Truss tells LBC

The former PM said: "While vaccines have been pledged, we are not getting the vaccines into people's arms quickly enough or on sufficient scale, and with vaccines stockpiled in the west we urgently need a timetable to prevent avoidable loss of lives.

"An immediate emergency airlift of 240 million vaccines this month from the global north to the global south should be followed by the transfer of a further 760 million vaccines by February.

Read more: Matt Hancock's UN job offer 'suspended'

"If we do not use the stockpiled vaccines, many, perhaps 100 million, will go to waste when they pass their use by dates and expire.

"This initiative - the biggest peacetime public policy decision to prevent avoidable deaths - could save 100,000 lives and prevent many of the one million Covid-induced deaths projected over the next few months."

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Drivers queuing in Dover on Friday morning

Holidaymakers hit with 2-hour Dover ferry waits amid strong winds, as 2.6m hit the roads for Good Friday getaway

The attack happened on a train in south London

Teenager charged with attempted murder after south London train stabbing, with victim still in critical condition

Mother Natalie Pinnell

Mother left in tears after daughter with complex needs 'erased' from school photo

Amber Rudd and Mary Beard have both been nominated to the Garrick Club

Amber Rudd and Mary Beard among seven women nominated for membership of all-male Garrick Club

Exclusive
Anneliese Dodds said Labour would make sure local people have 'skin in the game' with tackling inequality

'Rebuild has to start from ground up,' Labour's Anneliese Dodds says, and 'local people must have skin in the game'

Mohamed Mansour has been awarded a knighthood

Conservatives accused of 'cronyism' after donor who gave £5 million awarded knighthood in surprise honours list

Exclusive
Justin Welby recalled his experience of coping with his father's drinking as a teenager.

‘It was utterly isolating’: Archbishop of Canterbury recalls harrowing childhood with alcoholic father

More than 2 million drivers are set to hit the road on Good Friday.

Easter Carmageddon: Over two million drivers to hit the road on Good Friday after Storm Nelson travel chaos

Michael Gove has slammed the water firm as a 'disgrace'.

Thames Water bosses branded a ‘disgrace’ as Michael Gove tells firm ‘not to punish consumers’ for its failings

South Africa Bus Crash

Girl, 8, the sole survivor as 45 die in bus crash off South Africa bridge

A spokesman has denied reports the sausage dog could be banned.

The wurst news is over: Germany denies claims of sausage dog ban

Israel Palestinians Britain Aid

UN top court orders Israel to open more land crossings into Gaza

Greece Confidence Vote

Greece’s government survives no-confidence motion called over rail disaster

A council has had to apologise following the incident.

Fury as parents offered version of school class photo without complex needs pupils

Conjoined twin who shot to fame with sister on The Oprah Winfrey Show marries army veteran in private ceremony

Conjoined twin who shot to fame with sister on The Oprah Winfrey Show marries army veteran in private ceremony

Israel Palestinians UN Security Council

Russia ‘abolishes’ monitoring of sanctions on North Korea with UN veto