COVAX - Time to reconsider the strategy and its target Bell, D. Brown, G. W. Oyibo, W. A. Ouedraogo, S. Tacheva, B. Barbaud, E. Kalk, A. /Ridde, Valéry Paul, E. COVAX, the international initiative supporting COVID-19 vaccination campaigns globally, is budgeted to be the costliest public health initiative in low- and middle-income countries, with over 16 billion US dollars already committed. While some claim that the target of vaccinating 70% of people worldwide is justified on equity grounds, we argue that this rationale is wrong for two reasons. First, mass COVID-19 vaccination campaigns do not meet standard public health requirements for clear expected benefit, based on costs, disease burden and intervention effectiveness. Second, it constitutes a diversion of resources from more cost-effective and impactful public health programmes, thus reducing health equity. We conclude that the COVAX initiative warrants urgent review. 2023 text https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010088923 fdi:010088923 Bell D., Brown G. W., Oyibo W. A., Ouedraogo S., Tacheva B., Barbaud E., Kalk A., Ridde Valéry, Paul E.. COVAX - Time to reconsider the strategy and its target. 2023, 4, 100096 [6 ] EN