- Title: G7 'big heads' tussle over giant COVID-19 syringe in vaccine waiver stunt
- Date: 11th June 2021
- Summary: FALMOUTH, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (JUNE 11, 2021) (REUTERS) OXFAM ACTIVISTS PUTTING ON 'BIG HEADS' OF G7 LEADERS ON BEACH ACTIVISTS PUTTING ON 'BIG HEADS' U.S. PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN AND FRENCH PRESIDENT EMMANUEL MACRON 'BIG HEADS' OF GERMAN CHANCELLOR ANGELA MERKEL AND BRITISH PRIME MINISTER BORIS JOHNSON GIANT COVID-19 VACCINE SYRINGE BEING PICKED UP BY 'BIG HEADS' 'BIG HEADS' HOLDING GIANT SYRINGE 'BIG HEADS' DEPICTING JOHNSON, MERKEL, CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER JUSTIN TRUDEAU, JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER YOSHIHIDE SUGA, AND ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER MARIO DRAGHI PULLING ON ONE SIDE OF A GIANT SYRINGE 'BIG HEADS' DEPICTING BIDEN AND MACRON PULLING ON OTHER SIDE OF GIANT SYRINGE (SOUNDBITE) (English) OXFAM HEALTH POLICY MANAGER AND PEOPLE'S VACCINE ALLIANCE CAMPAIGNER, ANNA MARRIOTT, SAYING: "So we're here as Oxfam and the People's Vaccine Alliance calling on G7 leaders to back a people's vaccine, not a profit vaccine. That means one where the rights and the recipes for these vaccines are shared openly so that manufacturers around the world can support them. The stunt here today is showing that President Biden and President Macron have agreed to waive the intellectual property rules on these vaccines so that more can be made, whilst the other G7 leaders are currently blocking that agreement that over a hundred developing countries are calling for. They want the rights and the recipes for these vaccines so they can ramp up production and protect their populations, and we need the G7 leaders to urgently back that agreement." 'BIG HEADS' DEPICTING G7 LEADERS DOING TUG OF WAR WITH A GIANT SYRINGE GIANT SYRINGE MERKEL / JOHNSON / SYRINGE / BIDEN / MACRON (SOUNDBITE) (English) OXFAM HEALTH POLICY MANAGER AND PEOPLE'S VACCINE ALLIANCE CAMPAIGNER, ANNA MARRIOTT, SAYING: "So we know that President Biden and, just yesterday, President Macron have said that they're going to support the waiving of intellectual property rules. Right now, Boris Johnson and Angela Merkel are the chief blockers. They are refusing to agree on this proposal that is being supported by over 100 developing countries, and the rest of the G7 nations are currently sitting on the fence. That is just not good enough. We need them to step up now at this critical meeting and agree on a global plan to vaccinate everybody." VARIOUS OF 'BIG HEADS' ACTIONAID ICE CREAM VAN WOMAN SERVING ICE CREAM TO BOY ICE CREAM BEING SERVED TO GIRL POSTER ON ICE CREAM VAN READING (English): "COVID-19 AND CLIMATE CHANGE / DELIVER VACCINES AND CLIMATE ACTION!" VARIOUS OF BOY EATING ICE CREAM
- Embargoed: 25th June 2021 12:02
- Keywords: COVID-19 vaccine G7 G7 summit Oxfam big heads ice cream van vaccines
- Location: FALMOUTH, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
- City: FALMOUTH, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: Europe,G7,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001EGYK8XZ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Activists donned G7 leader 'big heads' to tussle with a giant COVID-19 syringe on a Cornish beach on Friday (June 11).
The stunt, organised by Oxfam and the People's Vaccine Alliance, is a call for G7 leaders to support a waiver on the intellectual property behind the vaccines.
Leaders from the United States, Japan, Italy, Germany, France, and Canada are joining British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Friday for the three-day summit in the seaside resort of Carbis Bay.
Their meeting has also provided an opportunity for campaign groups to highlight the issues they say the G7 must address.
U.S. President Joe Biden has already backed a proposed patent waiver for vaccines targeting the novel coronavirus that advocates say could help boost availability.
French President Emmanuel Macron has said intellectual property rights should not hinder access to vaccines during a pandemic, and that Paris would join South Africa in proposing that nations work on a limited easing of rules.
The tug-of-war wasn't the only seaside stunt on Friday morning - an ActionAid ice cream van, urging G7 leaders to "deliver vaccines" and fight climate change, was also spotted nearby.
(Production: Natalie Thomas, Helena Williams) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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