President Biden doubles US purchase of vaccine and calls for a global push

World leaders, aid groups and global health organisations are growing increasingly vocal about the slow pace of global vaccinations and the inequity of access to vaccines between residents of wealthier and poorer nations

US President Joe Biden aims to share one billion vaccine doses with the world. Picture: Timothy A. Clary/Pool Photo via AP

President Joe Biden is set to announce that the United States is doubling its purchase of Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine to share with the world to 1 billion doses.

The increased commitment is to be the cornerstone of a vaccination summit Mr Biden is convening virtually on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, where he plans to push well-off nations to do more to get coronavirus under control.