Microsoft founder Bill Gates has said he is optimistic that growth will return once a COVID-19 vaccine rolls out, which he expects will be available on a broad basis by the spring of 2021.
Speaking virtually at the Singapore FinTech Festival, Gates said he expected six COVID-19 vaccines to be approved and ready for distribution by the spring of 2021, as efforts to combat the spread of the deadly virus gains pace.
According to him, vaccine candidates from Moderna, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson and Novavax were likely to be authorised in the coming months joining the selectively approved Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Gates did not reveal the sixth vaccine source.
Gates said he had seen great "improvements" in health systems across the world but asserted that the damage done by the pandemic could have thrown a wrench in the growth trajectory.
"Once we get the vaccines out on a broad basis then I am optimistic that we will resume growth that we had before including things like great improvements in the health system," Gates said.
Gates, who has been one of the biggest advocates of global health developments including vaccination, added that regulators would need to "make sure we (distribute) in a somewhat equitable way ... not how rich you determine whether you get access."
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is working with Pune-based Serum Institute, the world’s largest vaccine producer, to begin manufacturing and distributing AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine candidate nationally.
The United Kingdom on December 8 became the first country to begin vaccinating its population. The UK has ordered 40 million doses of the vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech.
In India, Pfizer and Serum Institute of India have applied for emergency use of their COVID-19 vaccine candidates. There were also reports of Bharat Biotech seeking emergency approval for its Covaxin. Several other vaccine candidates are in various stages of trials in the country.
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