The Survival Game

We keep saying, that the next big war will be fought over the fresh water. Potentially there is another, imminent, threat to the world peace: Access to the Covid-19 vaccine.

• World Health Organization (WHO) reported yesterday that up today 39 million vaccine doses have been distributed to the 49 richest countries of the world. The lowest income countries have been given 25 (not 25 million, but just twenty five !) vaccine doses.
• 56 bilateral vaccine supply deals have been made between countries and major vaccine suppliers (e.g. Pfizer, BioNtech and Moderna) instead of using the COVAX system (Covid-19 Vaccines Access Facility).  The bilateral deals are given the priority and vaccine prizes have risen. In public all the parties say to honor the COVAX system.
• Breach of the COVAX will prohibit equal distribution of the first 2 billion vaccine doses during 2021 and many nations will not reach the agreed target to vaccinate 20% of its population.
• The Great Divide to ”haves and have nots” will widen and polarization is going to get worse.

When a nation observes that their existence is in danger, bad things may happen. Which one is more important to us, survival of the world or survival of ”the chosen”? Potentially the market economy has taken one step too far.

PS. The prize per dose varies between 1.78€ to 14.7€. (source: Belgium newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws; EU / Govt. of Belgium)

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-55709428