'Landmark moment': 156 countries agree to Covid vaccine allocation deal

Covax plan will counter rising threat of vaccine nationalism', prioritising vulnerable healthcare systems and frontline workers

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A coalition of 156 countries has agreed a landmark" deal to enable the rapid and equitable global distribution of any new coronavirus vaccines to 3% of participating countries' populations, to protect vulnerable healthcare systems, frontline health workers and those in social care settings.

The Covid-19 vaccine allocation plan - co-led by the World Health Organization and known as Covax - has been set up to ensure that the research, purchase and distribution of any new vaccine is shared equally between the world's richest countries and those in the developing world.