A little more "vaccine altruism" and a little less "vaccine nationalism"

　　Author: Chen Nian

　　According to the data of Our World in Data, as of mid-February, there are 192 countries or regions infected with the new crown virus worldwide, 86 countries have promoted the use of vaccines, including 56 high-income countries, 30 middle-income countries, and low-income countries. 0 countries.

The number of new crown vaccination per 100 people in each region is 81.78 in Israel, 17.26 in the United States, 0.65 in Indonesia, and 0 in African countries.

　　The BBC’s "The number of vaccinated people per 100 people in the world" map has a more intuitive description of this-Europe and North America (especially the United States) have a far leading vaccination rate of 100 people, between 10%-30%; and most of Africa , Some countries and regions in Central Asia, Southeast Asia and Australia have no data yet, or because there is no vaccination yet, or even the vaccine order records cannot be tracked.

　　The ONE Campaign, an international non-profit organization dedicated to solving poverty and preventable diseases, warned in a report on February 19 that "the vaccine order in developed countries has been surplus."

According to data from five pharmaceutical companies, Pfizer, Modena, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, and Novavax, the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and Japan have received more than 3 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccine, which is more than that of all people in these countries. The 2.06 billion needed to inject two doses of vaccine is more than 1 billion doses.

　　A group of highly contrasting data circulated on the Internet, one person in rich countries has 10 doses, while 10 people in poor countries have one dose; 75% of the vaccines are concentrated in only 10 countries, and more than 130 countries have not yet received any dose of vaccine.

　　These data portray the prevalent "vaccine nationalism" and reflect the huge tear in the human world-rich countries with power or resources enjoy "vaccine first", forming a "public health crush" or even a "public health crush" on low-income countries. "Public Health Deprivation".

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has repeatedly criticized "vaccine nationalism", worrying that the world is on the verge of "catastrophic moral failure."

　　From the vaccine development stage to the advent of vaccines, various versions of "vaccine nationalism" stories are constantly being staged.

　　Before the vaccine was officially put into use, many countries, including the United States, began to invest huge sums of money to acquire vaccines. Western countries with deep pockets took the lead in signing supply contracts with a number of vaccine companies; the United States was also exposed to want to buy German vaccines at a high price. The company's "exclusive rights" for the new crown vaccine was rejected.

　　In order to promote the equitable distribution of vaccines so that poor countries can also obtain vaccines, the WHO established the "New Coronary Pneumonia Vaccine Implementation Plan" (COVAX) in April last year.

However, Tan Desai pointed out that although some developed country members who joined the mechanism insisted on fair access, they still prioritized bilateral agreements with vaccine companies, bypassed the COVAX plan, raised prices, and tried to jump in line to buy vaccines.

This emptied the COVAX plan to a certain extent.

　　As a vaccine company, from a profit point of view, I also prefer to trade with rich countries.

Take Modena as an example. It has pledged to supply 93% of its vaccines in 2021 to rich countries.

Non-rich countries can still negotiate purchases with companies, but they have to continue to line up for the next 12 months. When it comes to their turn depends on luck.

　　India and South Africa submitted to the World Trade Organization a request for the TRIPS Agreement to mass produce vaccines around the world and increase the global vaccine supply. However, some western pharmaceutical companies are unwilling to give up their property rights.

　　When Western countries are monopolizing "Western vaccines," they make irresponsible remarks about vaccines developed by China, Russia and other countries, maliciously denigrating their safety and effectiveness.

When the vaccine produced in China was welcomed by developing countries, Western politicians began to hype "Chinese vaccine diplomacy" again. In their eyes, the life-saving vaccine was just an anti-China political tool.

　　Even among developed countries, nasty caused by vaccines has occurred from time to time. In January, the European Union and the United Kingdom broke out in a "vaccine war".

Due to dissatisfaction with AstraZeneca (a joint venture between the United Kingdom and Sweden), it suddenly violated its promise and drastically cut vaccine supply. The European Union threatened to intensify scrutiny and delay or even interrupt the supply of vaccines produced in EU countries to the United Kingdom.

Since then, the European Union has eased its position and stopped mentioning vaccine export controls, but disclosed that the United States and the United Kingdom have established mechanisms to prevent vaccine exports.

The "vaccine war" between developed countries may still be triggered at any time.

　　...

　　In an era when vaccines are scarce, "vaccine nationalism" is at work, the global contract for vaccine distribution is eroded, and the risk of intensification of the "vaccine gap" increases, and it is the interests of all mankind that are harmed.

After all, the global barrier function of vaccines is not that whoever occupies first is safe, but that "unless all countries are safe, no country is truly safe."

　　Rosslyn Remez-Martin, PhD in Molecular and Cell Biology at the University of Oxford, pointed out that if "vaccine nationalism" continues, the new crown pandemic will last longer.

According to the calculation of the epidemiological model, if the world still cannot reach cooperation on vaccine distribution, it will take at least 7 years to return to normal.

After another 7 years of suffering from the epidemic, who can bear it?

　　A study has shown that if two-thirds of the world’s first 3 billion doses of new coronavirus vaccines are occupied by developed countries, the number of deaths caused by the epidemic will be twice as much as the average distribution of vaccines among countries.

　　Low-income countries suffer casualties and economic losses due to lack of vaccines, but don’t forget that in the era of globalization, everything is lost.

According to a report issued by the International Chamber of Commerce, the world’s largest business organization, according to the new comprehensive economic model, advanced economies may lose trillions of dollars due to "vaccine nationalism"-more than expected-more than the global economic loss Half will fall on advanced economies.

Especially those highly open economies and sectors will bear the brunt of economic losses.

　　At the 46th meeting of the UN Human Rights Council, UN Secretary-General Guterres emphasized that the new crown vaccine must become a global public product, so that everyone can use and afford it. "Maintaining vaccine fairness means safeguarding human rights, and condoning vaccines. Nationalism is the disregard for human rights."

　　"Don't let a country in need be left behind, and don't let anyone waiting for a vaccine be forgotten." As the first echelon country for vaccine development and supply, China's altruistic approach to promote "vaccine justice" has won more and more applause.

　　As early as December 2020, the New York Times predicted that Chinese vaccines are expected to become a "lifeline for developing countries."

This prophecy is being fulfilled.

From Southeast Asia to Southern Europe and the Middle East, from Africa to South America, those "forgotten countries and regions" received life-saving vaccines from China, breaking the deadlock of "zero supply" of vaccines in their own countries. Leaders of many countries "take the lead" in public vaccination. As a result, some countries have become countries with the highest vaccination rates.

　　At the press conference on February 25, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs revealed that China has provided or is currently providing vaccine assistance to 53 countries and exporting vaccines to 27 countries.

As of February 21, China has provided vaccines to Equatorial Guinea and Zimbabwe in Africa. In the future, it will provide vaccine assistance to 19 African countries in need, and it will also provide vaccines to more African countries in the next step.

China also supports domestic companies to export and authorize Chinese vaccines to countries that urgently need to obtain vaccines and recognize Chinese vaccines.

At the request of WHO, China decided to provide 10 million doses of domestic vaccine to the COVAX plan to meet the urgent needs of developing countries.

　　Recently, Hong Kong newspapers commented that Chinese vaccines are already the "only option" for many countries, because China can honor the contract, which has nothing to do with politics.

The European media pointed out the same fact in the article "Vaccinations: China Brings Hope". China provides tangible vaccines, not empty checks." The US media also acknowledged that China’s vaccine deployment has expanded its global influence. However, the United States is “marginalizing.” According to Ray Yip, a public health expert and former director of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation China, “When the United States and Europe focus on themselves, China is like a shining armor Charged forward like a knight."

　　A little more "vaccine altruism" and a little less "vaccine nationalism", the dawn of human anti-epidemic is pinned here.

(Finish)