Finland is supporting the development of a coronavirus (koronavirus, in Finnish) vaccine with 5 million euros.
The funding will be targeted at the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and the International Vaccine Institute (IVI). In the same connection, Finland will join those two international organisations.
The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health explained in a press release that 4 million euros is granted to CEPI and 1 million euros to IVI.
Currently, there is no vaccine or pharmacotherapy to the disease caused by Covid-19. And the Finnish Government says that in practice, the development of a vaccine is the only way to stop the spread of the virus. Dozens of teams worldwide are working toward vaccine options.
The development of vaccines will be followed by their massive production and distribution, which is also a challenging task.
The need for vaccines is enormous and the disease situation varies between different countries. Finland considers it important that the availability of safe, high-quality and affordable vaccines be safeguarded in all countries.
Prepare for future threats
Through membership of the international organisations, Finland has an opportunity to influence international vaccine development to end the Covid-19 pandemic and prepare for future threats.
The CEPI will provide the project funding, support vaccine research and development, and strengthen production capacity. The IVI participates in international cooperation in the fields of vaccine research, product development and capacity building especially in the developing countries.
The International Vaccine Institute has also participated in the development of vaccines against gastrointestinal diseases caused by bacteria, such as typhoid fever and cholera, and in the examination of their effectives in meeting the needs of people in poor countries.
