As of this morning – Monday May 4 – the current recorded case count for COVID-19 (coronavirus) in the UK has hit 186,599 with 28,446 deaths.
European leaders have come together for a new initiate that strives to raise 7.5 billion euros to aid the discovery and development of a coronavirus vaccine.
In an open letter, country heads including Germany’s chancellor Angela Merkel and France’s president Emmanuel Macron highlight the ‘truly global challenge’ of novel coronavirus, and stress that the best chance of defeating it will be ‘bringing together the world’s best – and most prepared – minds to find the vaccines, treatments and therapies we need to make our world healthy again, while strengthening the health systems that will make them available for all’.
The group plans to raise an initial 7.5 billion euros in an online pledging conference (on May 4), to make up the global funding shortfall to cover the initial needs of the project, as ‘manufacturing and delivering medicines on a global scale will require resources well above the target’.
‘The funds that we raise will kick-start an unprecedented global cooperation between scientists and regulators, industry and governments, international organisations, foundations and health care professionals,’ the letter states.
‘If we can develop a vaccine that is produced by the world, for the whole world, this will be an unique global public good of the 21st century’.
According to BBC News, the UK’s prime minister Boris Johnson has described the initiative as “the most urgent shared endeavour of our lifetimes”, and will pledge £388 million for vaccine research, testing and treatment.
WASH YOUR HANDS:
Regularly and thoroughly clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them with soap and water.
MAINTAIN SOCIAL DISTANCING:
Maintain at least two metres (six feet) distance between yourself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing.
STAY AT HOME:
Only go outside for food, health reasons or work (but only if you cannot work from home).
