IMF Sees Strong Economic Arguments for Removing Vaccine Barriers

The International Monetary Fund sees strong economic arguments for removing barriers to vaccine production and distribution, while cautioning that a waiver on intellectual-property protections must be accompanied by other measures.

Scaling up production is the fastest way to bring an end to the crisis, Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said on Thursday in a European University Institute online event, responding to a question on the U.S.’s support and Germany’s opposition to the waiver. Still, a temporary suspension for rules at the World Trade Organization must be paired with both a transparent process for allocating doses and anti-counterfeiting measures, she said.