PARIS— Europe may have fully vaccinated almost half
of its population against COVID-19, but the richer countries are far
outstripping the poorer ones.
اضافة اعلان
This disparity, often along West-East lines, has raised
concerns from the European executive Commission in Brussels and the World
Health Organisation.
To date, at least 845.5 million doses have been administered
in Europe, an area which includes Russia and Turkey, according to an AFP tally
based on official sources on Tuesday at 1300 GMT.
That breaks down to 99 doses per 100 of the population.
A little more than half of the European population, or 53.5
percent, has received at least one dose, while nearly half — 47 percent — is
fully vaccinated.
These statistics make Europe the second most
vaccinated area
of the world after the US and Canada, which have administered 115 doses per 100
habitants. It is far ahead of Asia, in third place with its 77 doses.
The world average inoculation rate is 68 doses per 100
inhabitants.
Disparities inside Europe
But Europe's figures overall hide wide disparities between
richer and poorer countries.
According to the World Bank, 34 European countries out of 51
are considered high income, including the vast majority of the EU's 27
countries, as well as the United Kingdom, Norway, and Switzerland.
These countries have administered an average of 122 doses
per 100 inhabitants. Two thirds of their population (66 percent) have received
at least one dose and 60 percent are fully vaccinated.
The other European countries, all considered middle income
by the World Bank, have administered two times fewer shots — 63 per 100
inhabitants.
On average only 34 percent of these countries' inhabitants
have received at least one dose, while 27 percent are fully vaccinated.
The European Union's health commissioner on Tuesday spoke of
a "worrying gap" in the rate of vaccination between member states.
The bloc's only middle income member Bulgaria, is by far the
least vaccinated, with only 17 percent of its population completely protected.
Lack of access ... and skepticism
The country, which has received shots from Brussels, has no
shortage of doses, but its people have shown a lack of confidence in vaccines.
Outside the EU, in the least vaccinated European countries,
vaccine skepticism goes along with a lack of doses.
The WHO Europe on Monday pointed to "a lack of access
to vaccines in some countries and a lack of vaccine acceptance in others".
Europe's four least-vaccinated countries are all in the
east: Armenia (3 percent fully vaccinated), Ukraine (9 percent), Georgia and
Bosnia Herzegovina (11 percent each). They were among the last on the continent
to launch their vaccination drives, in February and March.
In contrast, leading Europe and indeed the world, are
Portugal (73 percent fully vaccinated), Denmark (71 percent), Spain (69
percent),
France (65 percent) or the United Kingdom (63 percent).
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