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OK so I've been researching a round of pitches on vaccine distribution disparities, and I've been noticing some threads of conversation and some really good work. Here's a quick roundup:
According to the UN, so far just ten countries have administered 75% of COVID-19 vaccine doses worldwide. TEN. 130 countries haven't received a single dose.
This article talks about African health workers dying as wealthy countries stockpile vaccines: https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2021/02/unprotected-african-health-workers-die-rich-countries-buy-covid-19-vaccines
This article talks about African health workers dying as wealthy countries stockpile vaccines: https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2021/02/unprotected-african-health-workers-die-rich-countries-buy-covid-19-vaccines
I keep going back to this map from @theeconomist's intelligence unit. It's color-coded to show when countries are expected to reach general vaccine availability:
https://www.eiu.com/n/rich-countries-will-get-access-to-coronavirus-vaccines-earlier-than-others/
https://www.eiu.com/n/rich-countries-will-get-access-to-coronavirus-vaccines-earlier-than-others/
Ah, you might say - that map makes sense! Countries with the highest COVID # s are green. Priorities on point!
Well no. Lower-income countries have lower testing capabilities, so we don't have an accurate picture of their outbreaks. Here's Afghanistan: https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/afghanistan-s-unseen-covid-crisis
Well no. Lower-income countries have lower testing capabilities, so we don't have an accurate picture of their outbreaks. Here's Afghanistan: https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/afghanistan-s-unseen-covid-crisis
Let's take a look at Southeast Asia. The Philippines diagnose about 1,700 new cases a day. They're relying on the UN's COVAX program, but are receiving enough for just 56K out of 1.7 MILLION health workers, much less the general public: ( @JulieMcCarthyJM) https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2021/02/18/969008730/the-philippines-has-vaccinated-zero-health-care-workers-so-far
Indonesia, on the other hand, has been using China's Sinovac vaccine, which is shown in trials to be less effective than Pfizer and Moderna's. But Indonesia is already seeing a decrease in new daily infections. And, they just approved a local version: https://jakartaglobe.id/news/indonesia-approves-local-version-of-sinovac-vaccine-as-covid-cases-on-the-rise-again/
It's in the West's self interest to help low and middle income countries get the pandemic under control. Because uncontrolled outbreaks, no matter where they are, can create new variants that are more contagious and/or vaccine resistant.
We know the world supply of vaccines is limited. (This article lays one of the bottlenecks out well. Hello lipid nanoparticules, we care about you very much) https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/02/18/vaccine-fat-lipids-supply/
But there are also arbitrary holdups, like the Biden Administration's refusal to waive intellectual property rules to allow the vaccine to be produced more widely. Something to keep in mind when Western leaders announce donations of surplus doses and COVAX funding.
In the meantime, countries are scrambling for whatever doses they can get; often from China and Russia. In the Balkans, it has echoes of the Cold War, writes @dwnews https://www.dw.com/en/balkans-are-geopolitics-getting-in-the-way-of-covid-19-vaccines/a-56542620
