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The COVID-19 pandemic, like a scab torn off a wound, has exposed systemic inequality and racism throughout our healthcare system. Now, the distribution of desperately needed vaccines is revealing even further the depths of inequity and immorality at the core of our globalized economy. Wealthy countries like the US, the UK, Canada and those in te EU are buying most of the global vaccine supply in advance — hoarding three to five times the amount of vaccines necessary to immunize their populations. Meanwhile, billions of people in poorer countries will likely wait well into 2022 or later before they even get a chance to receive a potentially life saving coronavirus vaccine.
The People’s Vaccine Alliance, a broad coalition including Oxfam, UNAIDS, Amnesty International and more, has formed to challenge this vaccine nationalism. “Nearly 70 poor countries will only be able to vaccinate one in ten people against COVID-19 next year unless urgent action is taken,” the Alliance’s website states. “Rich nations representing just 14 per cent of the world’s population have bought up 53 per cent of all the most promising vaccines so far.”
Oxfam’s Dr. Mohga Kamal-Yanni, a policy adviser to the People’s Vaccine Alliance, appeared on the Democracy Now! news hour from Oxford...Read More→
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