The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) and the World Health Organization have teamed up to kick out vaccine nationalism to tackle the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The two organizations will launch a series of public awareness campaigns involving star footballers from opposing teams to spread the message about equitable distribution of vaccines during the week-long FIFA Club World Cup 2020, starting from February 4 to 11.

"We all have to play our part in the battle against the coronavirus. We are also calling on the international community to act together to ensure a level playing field in relation to access to vaccines, treatments and diagnostic tests across the globe," said Gianni Infantino, president of FIFA.

The campaign will also inform people about the use of masks, physical distancing, and hand hygiene to prevent the transmission of the virus.

"All people at risk from the coronavirus in all countries must have equitable access to life-saving vaccines, treatments and diagnostics. In just nine months, the world has established these three powerful lines of defense against COVID-19," said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of WHO.

"But our goal now is to ensure equitable access and continued refinement of these tools."

Access to novel coronavirus vaccines has become a major challenge in controlling the pandemic. A section of developed countries has hoarded them to inoculate their populations.

Many developing countries, unable to indigenously develop the vaccines, are struggling to purchase them from pharmaceutical giants, exposing billions of people to the infection, according to Amnesty, Frontline AIDS, Global Justice Now and Oxfam.

Concerned over the prevailing situation, the WHO initiated COVAX, a global scheme to ensure equitable distribution of around two billion vaccines by the end of 2021. About 189 countries have joined the initiative, but many developed countries have refused to participate.

"It is important that we do not forget that health comes first," said Infantino. "Only by following the advice of our medical professionals will we be able to eliminate the threat posed by COVID-19."

(Header: Small bottles labeled with a "Vaccine COVID-19" sticker and a medical syringe are seen in this illustration taken taken April 10, 2020. /Reuters)