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COVID-19: World leaders pledge billions for vaccine fight

COVID-19: World leaders pledge billions for vaccine fight
[Photo: BBC]

More than $8 billion has been pledged to help develop a coronavirus vaccine and fund research into the diagnosis and treatment of the disease.

Some 40 countries and donors took part in an online summit hosted by the European Union. In total, more than 30 countries, along with UN and philanthropic bodies and research institutes, made donations.

Donors also included pop singer Madonna who pledged $1.1m.

The European Commission pledged $1bn to fund research on a vaccine.

Norway matched the European Commission's contribution, and France has pledged €500m, as have Saudi Arabia and Germany.

Japan pledged more than $800m.

The US and Russia did not take part.

Of the money raised, $4.4bn will go on vaccine development, some $2bn on the search for a treatment and $1.6bn for producing tests, the EU said. BBC Semi

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