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My @theipaper column today is on the UK's decision not to join the centralised EU vaccine scheme. @MattHancock argued last July that "We think we will go faster this way." He was right - and thank goodness for it. https://inews.co.uk/opinion/uk-brilliantly-independent-vaccine-rollout-whole-world-needs-to-win-844182
Because it's a UK/EU story, the UK's decision to pursue its own vaccine strategy has been portrayed as primarily about Brexit. It's connected, but that aspect is just a subset of the real question: what's the better approach, conglomerate or competition? https://inews.co.uk/opinion/uk-brilliantly-independent-vaccine-rollout-whole-world-needs-to-win-844182
It isn't "vaccine nationalism" to compare performance, to compete to succeed swiftly, and to study what works and what doesn't at home and abroad. It's visibly the best way to save lives and beat Covid. https://inews.co.uk/opinion/uk-brilliantly-independent-vaccine-rollout-whole-world-needs-to-win-844182
The vaccination programme is a race that ultimately we need all competitors to win. Study problems and successes elsewhere and at home, and learn from them - but remember that if our neighbours continue to lag then that will become a problem for us, too. https://inews.co.uk/opinion/uk-brilliantly-independent-vaccine-rollout-whole-world-needs-to-win-844182
It was fair to be nervous about the vaccination strategy, particularly after other problems. I've still got my fingers crossed for its continued success. But some of the vocal critics of Hancock's decision in July were acting out of pure political dogma. https://inews.co.uk/opinion/uk-brilliantly-independent-vaccine-rollout-whole-world-needs-to-win-844182
Egs of that dogma:
- @EdwardJDavey said Govt had “put its brexit ideology above people’s lives”
- @CatherineWest1 declared the decision “dumber and dumber”
- @YoungLiberalsUK even said “The Tories don't care if you're dead, so long as they get Brexit.” https://inews.co.uk/opinion/uk-brilliantly-independent-vaccine-rollout-whole-world-needs-to-win-844182
- @EdwardJDavey said Govt had “put its brexit ideology above people’s lives”
- @CatherineWest1 declared the decision “dumber and dumber”
- @YoungLiberalsUK even said “The Tories don't care if you're dead, so long as they get Brexit.” https://inews.co.uk/opinion/uk-brilliantly-independent-vaccine-rollout-whole-world-needs-to-win-844182
Thank goodness @MattHancock did not listen to them. https://twitter.com/wallaceme/status/1354014071478214658?s=20
On the vital Q: is competition or conglomeration more effective? Look at price. The EU used its size to get a lower price per dose. But it's the wrong priority: a few Euros per jab is nowt compared to vast human and financial cost of slower vaccination https://inews.co.uk/opinion/uk-brilliantly-independent-vaccine-rollout-whole-world-needs-to-win-844182
