Without access to vaccines, COVID will continue widening inequality everywhere

Without access to vaccines, COVID will continue widening inequality everywhere

NEW YORK — The COVID-19 pandemic has caused unprecedented public health, economic and social crises, threatening the lives and livelihoods of millions and exacerbating inequalities throughout the world, the World Bank said at the COVID-19: Vaccines for Developing Countries event on Friday.“Without access to vaccines, the gap will widen further”, warned the UN multi-faceted agency, calling for “strong partnership and cooperation at the national, regional and global levels”.Debt inequality World Bank President David R. Malpass, pointed out that inequality runs deep, encompassing not only vaccinations but also median income, interest rate differentials, bankruptcy processes and access to credit — all of which put poorer countries at a stark disadvantage.Fully recognizing “the debt problem facing the poorer countries”, he updated the event on his recent meeting with G20 leading industrialized nations, saying that they welcomed the acceleration of the International Development Association (IDA) 20 process, which he maintained is important because “it is the World Bank's very effective platform to give concessional aid and grants to the poorest countries”.Pandemic recovery In response to