Celebrities are joining the United Nations children fund to warn leaders of rich countries about Covid vaccine wastage.
Stars including Billie Eilish, David Beckham, Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Katy Perry have signed a letter by Unicef urging the group of G7 countries to donate 20 per cent of their vaccines to poorer countries by August.
The next G7 summit, the first since the start of the pandemic, will be in the seaside resort of Carbis Bay in Cornwall, UK, from Friday to Sunday.
Millions of Covid vaccines could be wasted if the countries – the US, the UK, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan – send large amounts of leftover vaccines at one time, the letter says.
There needs to be a steady supply throughout the year because poor countries do not have the resources to use them all at once, Unicef says.
The warning comes after countries such as the UK promised to donate their surplus doses.
Britain secured more than 500 million doses of seven vaccines for a population of 66 million. Unicef explains the UK would have enough excess supply to inoculate 50 million people globally with two doses – a total of 100 million doses – even after every adult in the UK was vaccinated and a third booster dose given to high-risk groups.
“We can’t ignore that the UK and other G7 countries have purchased more than a third of the world’s vaccine supply, despite making up only 13 per cent of the global population, and we risk leaving low-income countries behind,” Joanna Rea, director of advocacy at Unicef UK, said last month.
“Unless the UK urgently starts sharing its available doses to ensure others around the world are protected from the virus, the UK will not be safe from Covid-19.”
Other celebrities who have signed the letter include Andy Murray, Olivia Colman, Ewan McGregor, Liam Payne, Orlando Bloom, Gemma Chan, Whoopi Goldberg and Claudia Schiffer.
"The pandemic will not be over anywhere until it is over everywhere," says Beckham.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said last week he will use the next G7 summit to urge the world's largest economies to pledge to vaccinate the global population by the end of 2022.
“Vaccinating the world by the end of next year would be the single greatest feat in medical history," he said.
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'Shakuntala Devi'
Starring: Vidya Balan, Sanya Malhotra
Director: Anu Menon
Rating: Three out of five stars
What is blockchain?
Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.
The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.
Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.
However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.
Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.
The Pope's itinerary
Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial
Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport
Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
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