US to back waiver of patent protection on Covid - 19 vaccines

The Biden administration in the United States has announced today that they will be supporting a proposal to the World Trade Organisation to remove intellectual property protections on Covid 19 vaccines. This is another step in the journey towards vaccine democratisation and is a big move in direction for US foreign policy. 

Immunologist Dr. James Ussher from the University of Otago is the Science Director of Vaccine Alliance Aotearoa New Zealand, Ohu Kaupare Huaketo, and is also on the Government Vaccine Taskforce’s Science and Technical Advisory Committee. He joins Jesse to explain what this means for the global vaccine rollout, especially in the countries currently worst hit.