You can donate the cost of your Covid vaccine to help people in low income countries get one - here's how

A number of initiatives are in place which allow people to donate money to enable those from lower-income countries to receive a coronavirus vaccine (Photo: Andy Buchanan/AFP via Getty Images)A number of initiatives are in place which allow people to donate money to enable those from lower-income countries to receive a coronavirus vaccine (Photo: Andy Buchanan/AFP via Getty Images)
A number of initiatives are in place which allow people to donate money to enable those from lower-income countries to receive a coronavirus vaccine (Photo: Andy Buchanan/AFP via Getty Images)

Many countries around the globe are now well underway with their own Covid vaccination programmes.

However, a number of initiatives are in place which allow people to donate money to enable people from lower-income countries to receive a coronavirus vaccine.

Here’s everything you need to know.

Where can I donate?

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There are a number of charities which currently have donations pages to allow more people from lower-income countries to receive the Covid jab.

The charity Unicef has a donation page open for Covid vaccines, with the website saying that “With your support, Unicef will deliver 2 billion Covid-19 vaccines for health workers and the most high risk people on our planet.”

From buying and transporting supplies through to administering the vaccine, your donation will help to make sure:

  • vaccines get to even the most remote places in the world
  • vaccines are safely stored using cold chain equipment
  • health workers are protected and trained to vaccinate their communities

Unicef says that a gift of £44 could transport 25 doses of Covid-19 vaccines.

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Give a Vaccine, was an initiative set up in the UK by husband and wife Stephen and Janice Lampard, to enable people to “Give a vaccine to someone in need. In return for a vaccine received.”

The website says, “We estimate an average price for a vaccine is around £15 or $20. Some cost more and some less. So, if you give this sum, then we will ensure that the money is used for vaccinations in areas of the world that are simply not going to get vaccinated any time soon, without our help. Without us working together.”

Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, which is co-leading the Covax initiative, also has a donation page open for members of the public.

Donations can either generally support Gavi or specifically go towards helping lower-income countries to get access to Covid vaccines through Covax.

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Covax is a scheme backed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) which aims to make sure Covid vaccines are distributed fairly around the globe.

The Gavi website explains that “in addition to our core work, Gavi launched the Gavi COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC) in June 2020.

“It’s the financing instrument that will enable people in 92 lower-income economies to access safe and effective donor-funded COVID-19 vaccines through the COVAX Facility at the same time as 98 higher-income, self-financing countries receive their doses.

“The more funds Gavi receives, the more people will be protected against the virus.”

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UK taxpayers can make a donation to the Gavi COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC) through Charities Trust, which handles donations in the UK on Gavi’s behalf.

The Arm in Arm initiative - which is supported by the University of East Anglia and the University of Essex - has also recently launched, and is a campaign encouraging people to donate to the WHO's Covid-19 Relief Fund when they receive a vaccine.

The minimum donation to this fund via the website is £5.