COVID-19 vaccines and Inter-American Human Rights obligations
Resolution 1/2021
One year since the beginning of the COVID–19 pandemic, a global effort has led to the development and distribution of safe and effective vaccines that have been approved by the competent health authorities. However, the immunization of a critical mass of the world population — crucial to control the pandemic — is facing a new series of challenges, including new dangerous strains of the virus, the global competition for a limited supply of doses, and public skepticism toward the vaccines. In this scenario, only some States of the region have made rapid progress in immunizing their populations, while there are others where access to doses is limited or the process has not yet begun. According to the Organization of American States (OAS), 90% of people in low–income countries will not have access to any COVID–19 vaccine by 2021.