Int'l cooperation targets availability of vaccine against COVID-19: WHO

Photo taken on April 2, 2020 shows scientists starting to test vaccines for COVID-19 at CSIRO's Australian Animal Health Laboratory in Geelong, Australia. (CSIRO/Handout via Xinhua)

Experts with diverse backgrounds from the U.S., United Kingdom, Singapore, Australia, China, Italy, Germany, France, and Italy, among others, are working towards the development of vaccines against COVID-19, WHO said in an online statement.

GENEVA, April 13 (Xinhua) -- A group of scientists, physicians, funders and manufacturers, coordinated by the World Health Organization (WHO), has vowed to enhance their efforts and "help speed the availability of a vaccine against COVID-19."

"Under WHO's coordination, a group of experts with diverse backgrounds is working towards the development of vaccines against COVID-19," WHO said in an online statement on Monday.

A researcher of Stermirna Therapeutics Co., Ltd. shows the experiment to develop an mRNA vaccine targeting the novel coronavirus in east China's Shanghai, Jan. 29, 2020. (Xinhua/Ding Ting)

In a joint declaration published on the WHO website, they said that while a vaccine for general use takes time to develop, a vaccine may ultimately be instrumental in controlling this worldwide pandemic.

"In the interim, we applaud the implementation of community intervention measures that reduce spread of the virus and protect people, including vulnerable populations, and pledge to use the time gained by the widespread adoption of such measures to develop a vaccine as rapidly as possible," the declaration said.

"We will continue efforts to strengthen the unprecedented worldwide collaboration, cooperation and sharing of data already underway," it said, adding that "we will work tenaciously to increase the likelihood that one or more safe and effective vaccines will soon be made available to all."

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson (R) visits Mologic Laboratory in Bedford, Britain on March 6, 2020. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a new funding package of 46 million pounds (around 60 million U.S. dollars) for urgent work to find a vaccine and develop a rapid test for the disease. (Andrew Parsons/10 Downing Street/Handout via Xinhua) FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY

Those who signed the joint declaration include experts with diverse backgrounds from the U.S., United Kingdom, Singapore, Australia, China, Italy, Germany, France, and Italy, among others.■