The United Nations Children's Fund is stockpiling hundreds of millions of syringes to ensure enough global supply ahead of a COVID-19 vaccine.
UNICEF said it will initially stockpile 520 million syringes in its warehouses, as part of a plan to have 1 billion by 2021. The organization's goal is to guarantee initial supply and help ensure syringes arrive in countries before the vaccine.
The organization also is buying 5 million safety boxes so used syringes and needles can be disposed of safely.
The effort is being funded by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, an organization created in 2000 to improve access to vaccines for children in the world's poorest countries.
UNICEF is the largest vaccine buyer in the world and it is working with the World Health Organization and manufacturers on storage and distribution logistics of COVID-19 vaccines for 92 low and lower-middle-income countries. It's also helping map out cold chain equipment and storage capacity.
Read the full news release here.