Wealthier countries like England, France, and the United States, didn't wait to complete human trials. They instead made pre-purchase agreements with various Covid-19 vaccine manufacturers—agreements like these that poorer countries do not have the privilege of obtaining contribute to vaccine nationalism.
Vaccine nationalism is when there is a pre-purchase agreement between a government and manufacturer to secure vaccine doses for their domestic market and citizens.
As of right now, the wealthiest nations in the world are controlling the vaccine market. The United States, England, Japan, and the EU have confirmed close to 1.3 billion doses of potential COVID vaccines. The United States alone has agreed to buy some 800 million doses from six drug makers; similarly, the UK decided to buy 340 million doses from five drugmakers; and the European Union purchased 300 million doses.
2009 saw vaccine nationalism at its peak with the H1F1 flu pandemic. Australia was the first country to introduce a vaccine to its citizens. They immediately blocked all the vaccine exports; however, the United States bought 600,000 doses from them because of pre-purchase agreements.
Sadly, there are no such provisions in international law that prevent pre-purchase agreements or prohibit vaccine nationalism. However, the WHO says that global collaboration is the key to avoiding vaccine nationalism. COVAX is a worldwide initiative supported by the WHO that allows countries to work on the development and equitable distribution of a COVID19 vaccine collaboratively. With initiatives like COVAX becoming increasingly popular, the hope for an equitable vaccine grows. However, with wealthy nations like the United States still vying for vaccines for the citizens, the fight again vaccine nationalism is far from over.
Written by Hardik
Artwork by Zara Masood
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