The Biden administration has announced plans to send 25 million COVID vaccine doses to dozens of countries in Latin America, Africa and Asia, where new infections continue to surge. The majority of the doses will be distributed through COVAX, a program backed by the World Health Organization. National security adviser Jake Sullivan said Thursday the initial shipments were part of a broader plan to send a total of 80 million doses abroad by the end of June.

Jake Sullivan: “Our approach also prioritizes South and Southeast Asia, including countries like India, Nepal, the Philippines and others that are undergoing surges right now. It recognizes our closest neighbors, Canada and Mexico, which received our first shared vaccines, and friends like the Republic of Korea, where our military shares a command.”

Public health experts say the U.S. plan falls far short of what is needed to address the global crisis. Based on current vaccination rates, the People’s Vaccine Alliance estimates it could take 57 years to fully vaccinate everyone in low-income nations.