TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Equal access to the Covid-19 vaccine was the main topic of discussion at the G20 Summit in Riyadh. The leader of Saudi Arabia, King Salman bin Abdul Aziz, expressed concerns that several countries would find it difficult to get vaccines. At the end of the summit, G20 members pledged their commitment to ensure fair global distribution of Covid-19 vaccines and medicines.

In a joint statement, members pledged support for developing countries to obtain Covid-19 vaccines at an affordable price; from expanding vaccine distribution to suspending debt collection for countries whose economies shattered by the health crisis.

"We are taking immediate and exceptional measures to address the Covid-19 pandemic and its intertwined health, social and economic impacts, including through the implementation of authentic fiscal, monetary and financial stability actions," the statement said as quoted from Arab News, Monday, November 23.

As per this article, 58.9 million Covid-19 cases have been recorded worldwide, with a death toll of 1.3 million. The United States is the most affected country with 12.5 million cases and 262,000 deaths. In the last 24 hours, cases in the US increased by 136,000.

There is good news however, as companies began reporting hopeful results of Covid-19 vaccine tests. Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine, worked on with BioNTech, has been proven to have a 94 percent effectiveness rate. Pfizer has filed for approvals from drug regulatory agencies in the US and UK so that their vaccine can be used by the end of this year.

The G20 Summit also called for protection of the planet and acts against climate change. "Preventing environmental degradation, conserving, sustainably using and restoring biodiversity, preserving our oceans, promoting clean air and clean water, responding to natural disasters and extreme weather events, and tackling climate change are among the most pressing challenges of our time," the statement said.

Also Read: G20 Summit; Jokowi Speaks about Big Transformations to Recover from Covid

ISTMAN MP | ARAB NEWS