Priyanka Chopra, Billie Eilish, David Beckham appeal to G7 to donate 20 per cent of their vaccines to poor nations

‘The pandemic will not be over anywhere until it is over everywhere’

UNICEF Global Goodwill Ambassadors Priyanka Chopra Jonas, David Beckham, and Billie Eilish have signed an open letter to G7 leaders asking them to donate 20 per cent of their vaccines to underdeveloped and developing nations.

“The pandemic will not be over anywhere until it is over everywhere, and that means getting vaccines to every country, as quickly and equitably as possible,” the letter stated. “This weekend’s G7 Summit (11 to 13 June) is a vital opportunity for you to agree to the actions that will get vaccines where they are most needed, fast,” they said.

“UNICEF analysis shows that G7 countries will soon have enough doses to donate 20 per cent of their vaccines between June and August – over 150 million doses – without significant delay to current plans to vaccinate their adult populations,” it read.

“We’re asking you to make these urgent donations by August and to set out a roadmap to scale up donations as supplies increase. Forecasts suggest as many as 1 billion doses may be available for donation by year-end,” the letter stated.

The document has been signed by other celebrities such as Selena Gomez, Liam Payne, Olivia Colman, Orlando Bloom, P!nk, Ewan McGregor, and Lucy Liu, among others.

Chopra Jonas, who has raised millions through her India Covid relief fundraiser shared her views about the crisis.

“This deadly surge of Covid-19 is placing an enormous strain on health facilities across India, with hospital beds, essential medical supplies, and oxygen running out. It’s also of huge concern to all of us at UNICEF to hear about children falling ill with this new variant - while many are also losing parents and left alone and at risk, unable to access critical health care, vaccinations, and education,” she said.

“The crisis in India shows why we must act now to avoid further deadly mutations ravaging low- and middle-income nations around the world,” she added.

She expressed that a “clear solution” to this issue is for G7 nations to share their surplus vaccine doses with the countries that need them the most.

“That’s exactly why I’ve joined my fellow UNICEF Goodwill Ambassadors in signing this letter, urgently asking G7 leaders to make this commitment at the UK summit this week, to keep families and children everywhere safe from COVID-19,” she said.

Beckham added: “As a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador I believe in the crucial benefit of vaccinations and the pandemic won’t be over until it’s over everywhere, so it’s vital that all communities around the world have fair access to COVID-19 vaccines urgently.”