Some of world’s poorest countries won’t reach 20% vaccine coverage until early 2022, analysis finds

Going by current vaccination rates, the Philippines, home to 108.1 million people, is set to reach this figure on 5 February of next year, while other lower-income countries face similar waits. By Samuel Lovett and Rory Sullivan

Poorer countries are facing lengthy waits to get their hands on lifesaving Covid jabs (Getty)

Some of the poorest countries in the world won’t have vaccinated 20 per cent of their respective populations against Covid-19 until early 2022, new analysis shows.

Experts have warned that the failure to equally distribute vaccine doses and ensure widespread coverage is endangering thousands of lives, and risks fuelling the emergence of new coronavirus variants which could prolong the pandemic.

As western nations race ahead with their rollouts, having secured an excess of supplies through bilateral deals with manufacturers, lower- and middle-income countries are facing lengthy waits to get their hands on the lifesaving Covid jabs.