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By: Gargi Rakhade
What is COVAX?
The COVID-19 Global Access Initiative (COVAX) is a global initiative backed by several international organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) that aims for every country to purchase 2 billion doses of vaccines by the end of 2021 by signing a bill. Under COVAX, the distribution of the vaccine will be based initially on population, with guidelines calling for health workers and vulnerable groups to be vaccinated first and ensuring that those who live in poorer countries still have access to the vaccine. 172 countries, including China, have already joined this initiative. However, despite some of the most influential countries backing this initiative, the United States declined to join.
What exactly is vaccine nationalism?
Vaccine nationalism occurs when governments sign agreements with pharmaceutical manufacturers to supply and prioritize their own population and domestic markets before these vaccines are made available in other countries. Countries such as the United States, Japan, and EU countries have already spent billions on deals to secure 3.7 billion doses from vaccine manufacturing front runners such as Pfizer Inc, Johnson & Johnson, and AstraZeneca Plc before vaccine development has even been completed. The United Kingdom has already pre-ordered enough vaccines to supply each person with five doses and is planning to secure additional agreements with manufacturers for even more supplies. Furthermore, Canada has signed deals with two companies for 88 million doses, enough for every Canadian to be vaccinated twice.
What is the problem with vaccine nationalism?
In its simplest form, when individual nations prioritize their own interests through vaccine nationalism, poorer countries are left in positions with no ready access to vaccines. When wealthy governments who have the resources to invest billions of dollars into vaccines that may or may not be effective, it drains the already limited vaccine supply for poorer nations who don't have the same wealth and power. Furthermore, when wealthy countries like the United States and the United Kingdom fail to join COVAX, the initiative does not receive the financial support they need, making it extremely difficult for COVAX to invest in enough vaccines for all 172 of its countries. As a result, goals to ensure poorer nations have access to vaccines will eventually fail, creating distribution problems and putting these vulnerable populations more at risk.
Another major fault in vaccine nationalism is that although the United States, for example, may be investing billions into many promising vaccine developers, it doesn't guarantee that they will get access to a vaccine first or that the vaccine will even be effective. Other countries such as China, who currently have at least four vaccines in human trials, could gain access to an effective vaccine first. Countries are essentially hedging their bets and hoping that at least one or two of the vaccines they invest in will be successful with no actual guarantee. If countries worked together in a larger investment deal, it could ensure that the vaccine manufacturer who is successful in their clinical trials first has enough money to manufacture enough doses for distribution, ensuring every country has access to the vaccine. This cooperation also ensures that public health is being prioritized because instead of focusing on getting any vaccine out to “winning the race” and prove political strength, countries will focus more on making effective and safe vaccines.
Currently, instead of cooperating on a global scale to ensure everyone has access to a safe and effective vaccine, countries are utilizing individualistic strategies to try and solve a problem that has impacted the entire world. Solving a pandemic that has affected everyone with a unilateral approach will continue to leave countries vulnerable and fails to address this problem on the broader level it’s taking place on. The politicization around the COVID-19 vaccine has opened an opportunity for an expedited spread of the virus, worsening the pandemic in the long term.
Discussion Questions:
What will be the impact of vaccine nationalism on the United States' hegemonic power?
What incentive can be provided for more countries to join the COVAX initiative?
What role will vaccine nationalism play under a Biden administration?
Does China's decision to join the COVAX increase its global dominance?
Considering their practice of vaccine nationalism, has the United States lost its title as the leader of public health?
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