SHOTLIST:

1. Various of WHO flag
2. Various of WHO headquarters
3. Various of WHO press conference
4. SOUNDBITE: TEDROS ADHANOM GHEBREYESUS, WHO Director-General (courtesy Who press office/handout)
5. Various of WHO press conference
6. Various vaccine manufacturing
7. Various of Argentine scientists
8. Various of Russian vaccine

STORYLINE:

The World Health Organization (WHO) is reviewing the coronavirus vaccine candidates of nine developers, chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.

The COVAX global vaccines facility is a program designed to pool funds from wealthier countries and non-profits to develop a COVID-19 vaccine and distribute it equitably around the world.

It aims to deliver two billion doses of effective, approved COVID-19 vaccines by the end of 2021. It is led by the WHO, along with the Gavi vaccine alliance, and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI).

Up to 172 countries have been engaging with the "largest and most diverse COVID-19 vaccine portfolio" coordinated by the World Health Organization (WHO), the UN health body's chief said on Monday.

He added that a further nine vaccines are currently under evaluation for the longer term.

COVAX is "a mechanism for joint procurement and pooling risk across multiple vaccines so that whatever vaccine is proven to be safe and effective, all countries within the facility will be able to access them," said Tedros.

He noted that global competition for vaccine doses could lead to prices spiking exponentially in comparison to COVAX.

The COVAX allocation framework aims at "ensuring that low-, middle- and high-income countries all receive the vaccine in a timely way as soon as there is supply of a safe and effective vaccine," said Tedros.

According to the WHO chief, it's important to provide the vaccine to those at highest risk, including health workers, people over 65 years old and those at higher risk of dying from COVID-19 due to certain diseases they already have.

"A number of vaccines are now in the final stage of clinical trials and we all hope we will have multiple successful candidates that are both safe and effective," Tedros said, adding that the goal of COVAX is to deliver at least two billion doses of vaccines by the end of 2021.

SOUNDBITE: TEDROS ADHANOM GHEBREYESUS, WHO Director-General

"At present there are nine vaccines that are part of this dynamic portfolio; which is constantly being reviewed and optimized to ensure access to the best possible range of products."