COVID-19 VACCINE : Solidarity vs Nationalism

Amidst a clarion call for global "solidarity" in fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, there's 'creeping' perception of "vaccine nationalism" irking the world. 

Russia, as reported, has registered world’s first COVID-19 vaccine - "Sputnik V" - with a formal announcement by the country’s President Vladimir Putin. Reportedly, World Health Organization (WHO) and Russian are “discussing the process for possible WHO pre-qualification for its newly approved COVID-19 vaccine”. According to latest reports, China has granted its first patent to a local company. On August 15, Russia reportedly produced the first batch of its coronavirus vaccine.

In combating the pandemic, these positive developments are a ray of hope for life. After half-a-year since the first sounding of the COVID-19 pandemic that has now infected more than 20 million, people’s way of life and activities have witnessed the test of the time like never before. As the clock is ticking to find ‘the vaccine’ to put an end to the ‘life-threatening’ pandemic and scientists are working round the clock to develop a vaccine for the masses, there is growing concern about ‘vaccine nationalism’ escalating even before it is completed or ready for mass production. WHO has warned against "vaccine nationalism". WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said it would be in the interest of richer nations to ensure that any vaccine eventually produced to protect against the coronavirus were shared globally. 

This notion of "vaccine nationalism"possibly comes in the backdrop of global concerns over mass access to COVID-19 vaccine and question being raised as to when/who will get the vaccine doses first? Moreover, countries like the US and UK that are reportedly already making/buying deals for millions of vaccines doses for their own nation are raising apprehensions of  "vaccine nationalism".  Growing apprehensions over of its 'equitable' worldwide distribution and mass production for all stands against the global solidarity. During a COVID-19 pandemic lecture, WHO chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan called for a multilateral approach to vaccine deployment and distribution, rather than a more nationalistic approach. She said that since the virus is everywhere in the world, it would be impossible for the world to go back to normal if only pockets of people are protected.

However, these apprehensions are early global observations; let us all hope that sooner the world will see the vaccine that will find a cure to COVID-19. We shall together overcome the health crisis with global response of solidarity.

- Singh Rakesh Ranjan, Freelance Journalist