IMF calls for coordinated action, accountability in COVID-19 battle

The chief economist of the International Monetary Fund called for coordinated action and greater accountability to ensure that the world meets a target of vaccinating 40% of people in every country against COVID-19 by the end of 2021. India's decision this week to resume vaccine exports was 'a very important part of the solution,' but major economies also had to ratchet up vaccine deliveries to honor their pledges, Gita Gopinath told Reuters in an interview. The pandemic has killed nearly 5 million people across the world, and the IMF has warned that highly unequal health prospects - with just 2% of people in low-income countries vaccinated to date - poses 'severe risks'.