{O/C} At the second virtual global COVID summit, U.S. President Joe Biden admitted the international commitment to snuffing out the pandemic was not up to scratch.
While he marked the harrowing setback of 1 million COVID deaths in his country, the latest 3-billion-dollar new commitments are deemed tepid at best when compared with the outcome a year ago.
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It was a sombre moment in the world's second pandemic summit on Thursday with flags at public buildings and the White House lowered to half-staff.
{Soundbite} JOE BIDEN, U.S. President: This pandemic isn't over. Today, we mark a tragic milestone here in the United States, one million COVID deaths, one million empty chairs around the family dinner table. Irreplaceable losses.
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Countless remain uninoculated even against the backdrop of more merciless variants.
In his pre-recorded address, Biden maintained it was about time the world reinvigorated its response to the COVID conundrum.
{Soundbite} This summit is an opportunity to renew our efforts to keep our foot on the gas when it comes to getting this pandemic under control and preventing future health crises.
{VO}
In addition to sharing critical COVID-19 technologies via the World Health Organisation, Biden also exhorted Congress to authorise the country's 22.5-billion-dollar aid package.
{Soundbite} That's why I continue to call on Congress here at home to take the urgent action to provide emergency COVID-19 funding that is vital to protect Americans.
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But the global aid funding appears dead in the water. Effort is instead tilting towards U.S. supplies of boosters even as COVID continues to play fast and loose with people's lives.
On top of pursuing equal access to vaccines and medicines, the participants also pledged a lacklustre 3 billion US dollars to fight on.
Demand for COVID vaccines continues to taper off in certain nations as global infection and death numbers have plummeted.
Yet in African countries such as Uganda and Ghana, vaccination rates are climbing.
The aggregate global death toll currently stands at 6.2 million and counting.
Among the conspicuous absentees: The somewhat alienated Russia, and China, which is still mired in the thick of its own COVID fight.
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And at the Capitol, a moment of silence was observed to commemorate the victims.
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