World Physiotherapy notes the decision by the United States to back the waiver on COVID-19 vaccine patents to increase equity around the roll out of the global vaccination programme.
Emma Stokes, World Physiotherapy president, said: “Vaccine equity and the prioritisation of health care workers, including physiotherapists, is crucial in the fight against COVID-19.
“We can see how a lack of access to vaccines and vaccination programmes is impacting people in some parts of the world. The only way we can move forward against this pandemic is to move forward together. Access to vaccines makes this possible.
“We note the United States’ backing for the WTO proposal to temporarily suspend COVID-19 vaccine patents and we note the European Union is now reconsidering its opposition to a waiver. We call on countries still opposing a waiver to reconsider their position and put people’s health first.
“We also call on countries that have over-ordered vaccines to share with those countries that are most in need.
“Physiotherapists continue to play a vital role in the frontline response to COVID-19. They, together with other health care workers, need to be protected. This can only be achieved through vaccine equity.
“The longer it takes to vaccinate everyone, the greater the risk to us all as new variants have an opportunity to take hold.”
