Vaccine piracy revives memories of mask row in early epidemic
Rich countries have been accused of “modern piracy” after reportedly using diverse tactics to source life- saving COVID- 19 vaccines. Recent quarrels over scarce vaccines bring back memories of the wrestle for life- saving masks in the early stage of the outbreaks last year. Practices such as outbidding other countries to secure timely purchases in the increasingly intense global market seemingly remind us of how great powers hoarded supplies and looted resources during the colonial age.
AstraZeneca on Wednesday refuted the EU’s assertion that they failed to make good on their promises, arguing that the contract figures with the EU were targets, not commitments. Brussels and London tossed threats and accusations against each other at the virtual Davos Agenda 2021 summit after AstraZeneca reduced its promised supply numbers due to production limits.
Despite calling for more, some developed countries have reserved doses that far outnumber their populations whereas many poorer countries are suffering from huge shortages.
Experts warned of a fueled gap in vaccine accessibility, urging rich states that are jostling for early jabs to share, not hoard.
Economists alerted that unfair distribution may bring a new round of economic crises which will hit developed countries hard if not managed appropriately. They warned the “me- first” mindset of some countries may see hiked vaccine prices
and encourage hoarding, feeding the black market.
“With vaccine supply still very limited amid a soaring wave of new infections, an equitable distribution of COVID- 19 treatment is not possible in the near term. As supply constraints start to ease, this should, however, be an important objective for the rich, advanced nations in the second half of 2021,” Stephen Roach, a senior fellow at Yale University’s Jackson Institute for Global Affairs, told the Global Times on Tuesday.
Widened gap
Some EU leaders have previously accused AstraZeneca of prioritizing the more costly vaccine to countries outside the EU. Similarly, delays in US giant Pfizer’s vaccine shipments have frustrated and angered Europe and Canada, despite being among the most secure countries regarding vaccine preorders.
Rich nations including the US and its allies – Israel, Canada and Britain – remain at the front of the queue for vaccines.
The Global Times noticed that high- income countries have secured at least 85 percent of frontier producer Pfizer’s vaccine and all of Moderna’s.
WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said over 39 million vaccine doses had been given to 49 richer states – but there is one poor nation that has received only 25 doses.
Observers warned that uneven distribution may lead to some countries suffering disruptive supply chains and a stagnating economy, while others with doses recover quickly, causing a widening of the economic gap.
At least four African countries have given its citizens Chinese vaccines or secured vaccines from Chinese developers as of Tuesday, with talks on cooperation underway in more countries. Despite the challenges involved, observers noted that China is striving to help the continent fill the immunity gap rather than hoard doses.
So far, none of the main Western vaccines have been administered in Africa, almost two months after the first doses were rolled out in Europe, the BBC reported.
“Considering the billions of doses needed, and the risk of falling at the back of a very long line for Western vaccines, the appeal of the Chinese vaccines is apparent,” Taimur Baig, chief economist and managing director at DBS Group Research, told the Global Times on Wednesday.
The gap was widening not only between countries, but also in domestic markets. Nefarious procurement and black markets are appearing amid such short supply across many countries.
The WHO has also urged for an end to bilateral vaccine deals, saying the world faces a “catastrophic moral failure” because of unequal COVID- 19 vaccine policies.
Feng Duojia, president of the China Vaccine Industry Association, noted that currently the most urgent problem is a shortage of vaccines, if not unfair allocation.
So far, confirmed global purchases cover 7.2 billion doses, with another 5.2 billion doses currently under negotiation or reserved as optional expansions of existing deals as of Monday, according to data released by Duke University.
The world may need about 10 billion doses of COVID- 19 vaccines. As global producers go into full production, the demand may be met by the end of 2021, Feng predicted.