Sunday 27 December 2020

Vaccine diplomacy not as simple as a shot in the arm

‘Concerns including dearth of vaccine data and perceived use for geopolitical goals stand in the way of China's soft power push...

‘Rich nations have bought almost all of next year's supply of the two vaccine front runners - one by Pfizer-BioNTech and the other by Moderna - according to the People's Vaccine Alliance (PVA), a network of organisations that includes Amnesty International, Oxfam and Global Justice Now. Canada, for instance, has ordered enough vaccines to inoculate each Canadian five times, although it has pledged to share any excess with other countries.

‘The situation is such that nine in 10 people in 67 developing countries - including nations like Cambodia, Laos and Pakistan - stand little chance of being vaccinated next year, said the PVA this month. To these countries, China's vaccines are a lifesaver.’

Read here (Straits Times, Dec 28, 2020)

Worst ever Covid variant? Omicron

John Campbell shares his findings on Omicron.  View here (Youtube, Nov 27, 2021)