Rich nations stockpiling a billion more COVID-19 shots than needed: report

By Kate Kelland

 

FILE PHOTO: A health worker prepares an injection with a dose of Astra Zeneca coronavirus vaccine, at a vaccination centre in Westfield Stratford City shopping centre, amid the outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in London, Britain, February 18, 2021. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls/File Photo

 

LONDON (Reuters) - Rich countries are on course to have over a billion more doses of COVID-19 vaccines than they need, leaving poorer nations scrambling for leftover supplies as the world seeks to curb the coronavirus pandemic, a report by anti-poverty campaigners found on Friday.

 

In an analysis of current supply deals for COVID-19 vaccines, the ONE Campaign said wealthy countries, such as the United States and Britain, should share the excess doses to "supercharge" a fully global response to the pandemic.

 

The advocacy group, which campaigns against poverty and preventable diseases, said a failure to do so would deny billions of people essential protection from the COVID-19-causing virus and likely prolong the pandemic.

 

The report looked specifically at contracts with the five leading COVID-19 vaccine makers - Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Oxford-AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson, and Novavax.

 

It found that to date, the United States, the European Union, Britain, Australia, Canada and Japan have already secured more than 3 billion doses - over a billion more than the 2.06 billion needed to give their entire populations two doses.

 

"This huge excess is the embodiment of vaccine nationalism," said Jenny Ottenhoff, ONE Campaign's senior director for policy.

 

"Rich countries understandably hedged their bets on vaccines early in the pandemic but with these bets paying off in spades, a massive course correction is needed if we are going to protect billions of people around the world," she added.

 

The analysis found that, along with other COVID vaccine supplies procured by the global COVAX vaccine-sharing plan and in bilateral deals, the excess rich-country doses would go a long way to protecting vulnerable people in poorer countries.

 

This would significantly reduce the risk of deaths from COVID-19, it said, as well as limiting the chances of new virus variants emerging and accelerating an end to the pandemic.

 

The World Health Organization on Thursday urged nations with vaccines not to share them unilaterally, but to donate them to the global COVAX scheme to ensure fairness.

 

(Reporting by Kate Kelland; Editing by Aurora Ellis)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2021-02-19

 

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yeah and only good 'ol Australia has manged to receive a whole 14,000 shots so far while other counties have vaccinated ten's on millions already.. Way to go Australia...

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Rich nations

Poor nations would'nt be so poor if there was less greed and corruption! When ten million rich can rip of the rest of the country (Thailand), what do they expect, grow some and stand up in numbers and you might see some change or forever bend over and cop it!

That was to be expected, sad as it is.

 

Kinda makes Thailand's scheme of delaying purchase in order to get a better deal (at least that was one of the explanations offered) even more questionable.

10 minutes ago, Morch said:

That was to be expected, sad as it is.

 

Kinda makes Thailand's scheme of delaying purchase in order to get a better deal (at least that was one of the explanations offered) even more questionable.

It also makes Thailand's scheme to become a regional producer of the vaccines a very sensible one doesn't it. There's often method in apparent madness.

1 minute ago, Moonlover said:

It also makes Thailand's scheme to become a regional producer of the vaccines a very sensible one doesn't it. There's often method in apparent madness.

 

That depends, if the situation becomes so that them rich nations have no need for the surplus vaccines, they'll just give/sell them and that would be it.

2 minutes ago, Morch said:

5 minutes ago, Moonlover said:

It also makes Thailand's scheme to become a regional producer of the vaccines a very sensible one doesn't it. There's often method in apparent madness.

 

2 minutes ago, Morch said:

 

That depends, if the situation becomes so that them rich nations have no need for the surplus vaccines, they'll just give/sell them and that would be it.

Might I send you a cloth for your crystal ball? ????

 

4 minutes ago, Moonlover said:

 

Might I send you a cloth for your crystal ball? ????

 

 

No need. Notice I qualified my comment.

Leaving the virus to spread in hindered by vaccines amongst two thirds of the world’s population isn’t a good idea.

 

If the moral arguments have no impact the self interest arguments of not leaving the virus opportunities to mutate ought to at least give pause for thought.

More rediculous left wing propaganda being given air time by their buddies in the press. The richer (or one could say smarter) nations invested billions in vaccine research, testing and validation. They also pre-ordered from multiple sources (normal redundancy procedure) and are now meeting to discuss the redistribution of excess. Dont hear much about China and Russia giving away vaccines though.

If the rich nations (ones that bankrolled the research? production, etc) have leftover vaccine, they'll share it. First things first. You take care of your own family before you take care of family down the street.

There are no 'poor countries' at central government level, they all have access to vast sums of money.

 

What makes the country poor is how they choose to spend it.

Some rich nations are rich in the wrong hands and should have precured instead of wasting money on submarines for example ????

6 hours ago, ezzra said:

yeah and only good 'ol Australia has manged to receive a whole 14,000 shots so far while other counties have vaccinated ten's on millions already.. Way to go Australia...

But Australia is probably the safest place in the world right now. I live in Perth and no way will I have a jab. Totally unnecessary here. We have no cases so why the big concern about getting jabbed ? 

3 minutes ago, jaiyen said:

But Australia is probably the safest place in the world right now. I live in Perth and no way will I have a jab. Totally unnecessary here. We have no cases so why the big concern about getting jabbed ? 

Wait until they open it up to tourists, things will change.

 

You would also do well to remember that COVID cases went down to almost none during summer 2020 in the northern hemisphere and then exploded during winter.

 

How long until winter comes in Australia?

58 minutes ago, Megasin1 said:

More rediculous left wing propaganda being given air time by their buddies in the press. The richer (or one could say smarter) nations invested billions in vaccine research, testing and validation. They also pre-ordered from multiple sources (normal redundancy procedure) and are now meeting to discuss the redistribution of excess. Dont hear much about China and Russia giving away vaccines though.

Obviously, you should find better ways to get information.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-02-04/china-to-donate-coronavirus-vaccines-to-three-african-countries

 

A big advantage of the Chinese vaccine is that, unlike more innovative vaccines, it doesn't need to be frozen. As most Arican countries don't have a sufficient infrastructure to keep frozen vaccines, Western vaccines may be nearly useless for them.

12 minutes ago, candide said:

Obviously, you should find better ways to get information.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-02-04/china-to-donate-coronavirus-vaccines-to-three-african-countries

 

A big advantage of the Chinese vaccine is that, unlike more innovative vaccines, it doesn't need to be frozen. As most Arican countries don't have a sufficient infrastructure to keep frozen vaccines, Western vaccines may be nearly useless for them.

"will" not is, and communicated from a Kenyan embassy, not from the Chinese government, the road to heaven is paved with good intentions. You also need better references as only 1 vaccine needs "freezing" but hey ho,  you are welcome to your own opinions as is everyone else (oops, sorry unless of course you are Asian! )

They're not really stockpiling. What they're doing is ordering away in an attempt to pacify public anger at the present shortage of vaccines. This ordering spree risks creating a glut of vaccines months from now and does nothing to alleviate the short-term shortage.

Again, Big Pharma at their greedy work again, similar to US hospitals 

Show us your money or you can die in the street,

I am on medication which if supplied by BIG Pharma would cost me around 8,000 Bht

Both made locally at a monthly cost of less than 1,500.

I realize, R&D has been a cost for them but these margins are unacceptable when talking 

about life saving drugs

1 hour ago, Megasin1 said:

"will" not is, and communicated from a Kenyan embassy, not from the Chinese government, the road to heaven is paved with good intentions. You also need better references as only 1 vaccine needs "freezing" but hey ho,  you are welcome to your own opinions as is everyone else (oops, sorry unless of course you are Asian! )

So now you have heard of it now, right? From the "Chinese" embassy. Plenty of other news sources with similar information if you know how to use a search engine.  

 

What about other countries supposed to give away their vaccine? It's also "will" not "is", right?

6 minutes ago, candide said:

So now you have heard of it, right? From the "Chinese" embassy. Plenty of other news sources with similar information if you know how to use a search engine.  

 

What about other countries supposed to give away their vaccine? It's also "will" not "is", right?

we "will" just have to wait to see whom is the first and the rest will be followers, such is life ????

I don't know if 'stockpiling' is the proper word for excess doses.  There is still a lot we don't know about this virus and the vaccine.  The big one is how long will it be effective?   Are people going to require an annual shot or even sooner?   

 

 

5 hours ago, Megasin1 said:

More rediculous left wing propaganda being given air time by their buddies in the press. The richer (or one could say smarter) nations invested billions in vaccine research, testing and validation. They also pre-ordered from multiple sources (normal redundancy procedure) and are now meeting to discuss the redistribution of excess. Dont hear much about China and Russia giving away vaccines though.

Easily proven as nonsense claims:

 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/19/coronavirus-vaccine-diplomacy-west-falling-behind-russia-china-race-influence

13 hours ago, webfact said:

It found that to date, the United States, the European Union, Britain, Australia, Canada and Japan have already secured more than 3 billion doses - over a billion more than the 2.06 billion needed to give their entire populations two doses.

 

"This huge excess is the embodiment of vaccine nationalism," said Jenny Ottenhoff, ONE Campaign's senior director for policy.

If 'secured' means 'to have in-country stored in a horde of fridges, surrounded by evil developed country exploiters rubbing their hands with glee' this is bad.

 

If it means 'to have on order, as insurance against supply disruption, below par efficacy &/ failure to secure regulatory approval for use' this is just NGOs banging the inequality drum (donations that fund very nice champagne socialist lifestyles en route). And the countries with excess orders will release/donate them as the balance between supply & vaccination capacity/demand becomes clearer.

17 hours ago, webfact said:

Rich nations stockpiling a billion more COVID-19 shots than needed: report

well! that means an infected person from "poor nations" can't contaminate someone from "rich nations". this is what rich nations leadership thinks, i guess

I’m sure that once we have our (house in order)we will do as we have done in the past take a leading role in vaccinations in the 3rd world and keep in mind the grevious damage done by the last administration we have a lot to contend with in house

This is one of those situations where vaccinating the people in the US is probably in the best interest of the world.  The US has one of the world's largest outbreaks.  

12 hours ago, candide said:

Obviously, you should find better ways to get information.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-02-04/china-to-donate-coronavirus-vaccines-to-three-african-countries

 

A big advantage of the Chinese vaccine is that, unlike more innovative vaccines, it doesn't need to be frozen. As most Arican countries don't have a sufficient infrastructure to keep frozen vaccines, Western vaccines may be nearly useless for them.

Interesting that they choose Africa.

 

I believe the Chinese have been working hard to build some colonies in Africa over the last decade.

 

Related in some way perhaps?

 

The AZ vaccine doesn't need to be frozen, that's the one just recommended by the 'WHO' - also known as 'Oxford Vaccine'

20 hours ago, ezzra said:

yeah and only good 'ol Australia has manged to receive a whole 14,000 shots so far while other counties have vaccinated ten's on millions already.. Way to go Australia...

To be fair, they were pre-occupied with more important matters, such as helping Rupert Murdoch try, but fail, to mug Facebook.
 

 

17 hours ago, Morch said:

Kinda makes Thailand's scheme of delaying purchase in order to get a better deal (at least that was one of the explanations offered) even more questionable.

They are in good company. The EU, after ordering individual countries not to make their own arrangements, spent 3 months negotiating a one Euro discount per shot and were then furious to discover that they were last in line.
 

 

13 hours ago, jaiyen said:

But Australia is probably the safest place in the world right now. I live in Perth and no way will I have a jab. Totally unnecessary here.

Might you not want to visit Thailand again at some point in the future?

There is a high probability that, by this summer, all international travel by adults will require proof-of-vaccination. 

 

It actually helps the least-developed countries more to have the advanced economies return to normality as soon as possible.

The world's poorest have the least buffer between them and starvation. A global recession is going to disproportionately hurt them and blight their prospects for decades. For example, following a series of famines in the 80's, Ethiopia and the countries around it are still dealing with the consequences of poor health and low IQs due to fetal and childhood malnourishment during that era. While the TV cameras were focused on the poor wee kiddies dying in the camps, there were tens of millions of families all around the region who, although not in circumstances quite as dire, still had far less nourishment than they needed.

Faltering economies will reverse decades of progress in poorer countries, leading to despair, crime, low attainment of skills, family violence and fragmentation, alcohol and drug abuse, suicide etc. Conversely, the lower average age of death in such countries means that a far smaller percentage of their populations are old enough to be at risk of death due to Covid-19.

The economic output of the average person in, say, Norway, Ireland, or Switzerland is over 600 times that of the average person in Somalia (and the US is over 500 times, the UK is over 300 times etc). Get those folks up, running, and moving freely first and you get the world's economic flywheels spinning again.

Let us also be clear that any excess not required for their own populations will obviously be given to the poorest countries. In addition, Joe Biden today announced that the US will be contributing two million dollars to a global coronavirus vaccine initiative. Afterwards, his aides confirmed that he meant two billion dollars, so, the West is fully aware that we need to stamp out this virus worldwide.