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COVAX timeline

COVAX TIMELINE

Key moments in the evolution of the COVAX Facility – a global risk-sharing mechanism for pooled procurement and equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines.

1000000000
COVID–19 vaccine doses shipped
100
economies received doses

2 0 2 0

jan
jan
23

At the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting, CEPI and Gavi discuss the potential need for a mechanism like COVAX.

jan
jan
30

WHO declares COVID-19 a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC).

mar
mar
01

Initial COVAX proposal is developed by CEPI and Gavi.

mar
mar
11

World Health Organization (WHO) characterises COVID-19 a pandemic.

apr
24
Credit: Gavi/2017/Asad Zaidi.
apr 24

Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator launches, including COVAX.

apr
apr
28

Gavi and UNICEF make urgent funding available to lower-income countries for diagnostics and personal protective equipment (PPE).

jun
04
© UNICEF/UNI331376/Haro
jun 04

Global Vaccine Summit 2020

Gavi COVAX AMC launches with a target of US$ 2bn in seed funding; AstraZeneca becomes first manufacturer to sign up to COVAX Facility; Gavi raises US$ 8.8bn for core programmes and COVAX (with over US$ 0.5bn for AMC).
aug
07
Vaccine manufacturing – Credit: Gavi
aug 07

COVAX deal for upfront capital to Serum Institute of India (SII) for 100m doses for Gavi COVAX AMC (later amended to include another 100m).

aug
24
Gavi/Duncan Graham Rowe/Vaccine manufacturing
aug 24

172 economies now engaged with COVAX Facility.

oct
01
Gavi to provide US$ 150 million to support low- and middle-income countries’ readiness to deliver COVID-19 vaccines
oct 01

Gavi Board approves US$ 150m to jump-start Gavi COVAX AMC countries’ readiness to deliver COVID-19 vaccines.

oct
30
Promotion of health and vaccination by a CSO in Kinshasa in the context of COVID-19 – Gavi/2020
oct 30

Civil society organisation (CSO) representatives are appointed to key COVAX working groups.

nov
13
Over US$ 2 billion raised to support equitable access to COVID vaccines with additional US$ 5 billion needed in 2021
nov 13

COVAX reaches target of US$ 2bn in seed funding.

dec
dec
02

First COVID-19 vaccine is approved by stringent regulatory authority (SRA): Pfizer/BioNTech by UK’s MHRA.

dec
dec
08

First COVID-19 vaccination with approved vaccine in a high-income country.

dec
dec
18

COVAX deal with AstraZeneca for 170m doses

dec
28
Gavi/2020/Maya Hautefeuille
dec 28

USA approves US$ 4bn in funding for COVAX.

dec
dec
31

First COVID-19 vaccine receives WHO Emergency Use Listing (EUL): Pfizer/BioNTech.

2 0 2 1

jan
jan
16

First COVAX-supplied vaccine doses administered in a lower-income country (India), just 39 days after first COVID-19 vaccination in a high-income country.

jan
22
COVAX announces new agreement, plans for first deliveries
jan 22

COVAX deal with Pfizer/BioNTech for 40m doses.

feb
15
COVAX Statement on WHO Emergency Use Listing for AstraZeneca/Oxford COVID-19 Vaccine
feb 15

SII (COVISHIELD) and AstraZeneca/SKBio (AZD1222) vaccines receives WHO EUL.

feb
18
Novavax
feb 18

COVAX MoU with Novavax for 1.1m doses.

feb
23
© UNICEF/UN0421462/Kokoroko/COV
feb 23

COVAX ships its first doses: 600k doses of AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine from SII.

mar
01
Setting an important example that the vaccine is safe and effective, Patrick Achi, Chief of Staff to the President of Côte d’Ivoire, becomes the first person to receive a COVAX vaccine at the launch of the nation’s COVID-19 vaccination campaign at the Abidjan Parc des Sports. Gavi/2021
mar 01

First COVAX-supplied vaccine doses are administered in Africa.

mar
mar
12

Ad26.COV 2.S, developed by Janssen (Johnson & Johnson), receives WHO EUL.

mar
mar
25

COVAX experiences delivery delays of vaccines from SII and AstraZeneca due to COVID-19 surge in India.

apr
apr
08

COVAX ships its 38 millionth dose, reaching 100 economies.

apr
apr
30

Moderna vaccine receives WHO EUL.

may
03
Moderna Inc mRNA type COVID-19 vaccine.
may 03

COVAX deal with Moderna for 500m doses.

may
may
07

Sinopharm vaccine receives WHO EUL.

may
21
Supply of its COVID-19 vaccine to COVAX
may 21

COVAX deal with Johnson & Johnson for 200m doses.

jun
jun
01

Sinovac-CoronaVac receives WHO EUL.

jun
02
Credit: Herve Montandon and Jacques Schmitz
jun 02

Gavi COVAX AMC Summit raises US$ 2.4bn (over US$ 2bn target).

jun
10
© UNICEF/UN0425062/Yeslam
jun 10

USA announces procurement of 500m Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine doses for COVAX.

jun
jun
13

G7 pledges 870m donated doses.

jun
24
Gavi Board
jun 24

Gavi Board approves approximately US$ 800m for COVAX delivery funding for AMC-eligible economies.

jun
30
Clover vial
jun 30

COVAX deal with Clover for 414m doses (64m doses in 2021, with option for another 350m in 2022).

jul
jul
01

Ultra-cold chain (UCC) capacity efforts are scaling up, ultimately establishing facilities in 47 countries by year end.

jul
12
Sinopharm and Sinovac
jul 12

COVAX deals with Sinopharm and Sinovac (total 110m doses immediately, with options for more).

jul
26
© UNICEF/UN0430539/
jul 26

Cost sharing with World Bank launches, allowing Gavi COVAX AMC countries to purchase doses beyond fully donor-subsidised doses they are already receiving from COVAX.

sep
sep
11

COVAX ships its 250 millionth dose.

nov
16
Cold chain staff unpack the COVID-19 vaccines for storage in the cold room. Vaccine storage warehouse, Kinkole commune, Kinshasa, DRC. – Credit: Desjardins Sibylle
nov 16

COVAX Humanitarian Buffer deliveres first doses to Iran.

nov
29
Credit: UNICEF Congo DRC
nov 29

COVAX releases joint statement with African Union and Africa CDC on dose donation standards.

dec
10
Photo by Mufid Majnun on Unsplash
dec 10

COVAX deal with Moderna for 150m additional vaccine doses.

2 0 2 2

jan
15
Credit: Miko
jan 15

COVAX ships its one billionth dose, reaching 144 economies.

feb
feb
04

COVAX ships its one billionth dose to Gavi COVAX AMC countries, meeting its 2021 target of providing doses to protect 20% on average.

© UNICEF/UN0579049/Kanobana
feb 04

COVAX ships its 500 millionth donated dose.

apr
08
World leaders renew commitment to Break COVID Now. Credit: Gavi
apr 08

World leaders commit US$ 4.8 billion for Gavi COVAX AMC, enabling Pandemic Vaccine Pool launch.

may
may
20

COVAX ships its 1.5 billionth dose, reaching 144 economies.

may
may
25

On Africa Day, COVAX ships its 500 millionth dose to Africa.

jun
24
Living Goods/2022/Jjumba Martin
jun 24

Gavi Board extends administration of COVAX Facility through 2023.

aug
18
Anny, a UNICEF-supported community outreach worker, is sensitizing people in Kinshasa, DR Congo, to get vaccinated against COVID-19 on August 4, 2022. Credit: UNICEF
aug 18

Gavi COVAX AMC 92 lower-income countries achieve 50% primary series coverage milestone against global coverage of 62.5%.

oct
oct
17

Gavi and Moderna establish framework for lower-income countries to access up to 100m doses of variant-containing vaccine (VCV) through COVAX.

oct
oct
22

COVAX publishes report “COVAX: Key learnings for future pandemic preparedness and response”.

dec
04
Rosario Suarez. A health brigade from the city of Matagalpa is greeted by her son before visiting families to explain the “Cut the contagion” COVID-19 vaccination campaign. Credit: UNICEF
dec 04

One year after support launched for 34 countries furthest behind in COVID-19 vaccination only 7 countries remain below 10% primary series coverage.

dec
dec
31

Estimated 2.7m deaths averted across AMC countries due to COVAX by end 2022.

Last updated: 5 Jan 2024