What you know about the global distribution of COVID-19 vaccines so far

The pressure is on countries to vaccinate people against the new coronavirus disease, COVID-19: nearly fifty million doses have been given in the month since the first vaccines were approved for use. But with a global population of nearly eight billion, that is only the small first step. Even in countries that have a stock of the vaccine, the distribution has been weak; it has yet to start in many others. It could take years for most people around the world to get vaccinated, especially as new strains of the virus present greater challenges.

Where has the COVID-19 vaccine already started?

In general, richer countries that were able to enter into advance purchase agreements with vaccine manufacturers, especially domestic manufacturers, were the first to introduce COVID-19 vaccines. China, the states of the European Union, Israel, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States are among the twelve countries where vaccination campaigns are underway.

China and Russia are also rolling out their vaccines across the Middle East and Asia – vaccine diplomacy that could forge stronger partnerships with countries in those regions, including long-distance U.S. alliances . President Joe Biden has pledged to increase U.S. vaccine supply as well as encourage international cooperation in his first days in office, starting with his return to the World Health Organization (WHO). WHO).

At the same time, many low-income countries that have not even started COVID-19 vaccination are losing out to rich countries on claims for supplies or waiting for more efficient options for cost, such as vaccinations with Oxford University and British-Swedish company AstraZeneca and with US company Johnson & Johnson. (Most approved vaccines require two doses, and Johnson & Johnson is expected to require only one dose.) Vaccine manufacturers with Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to prioritize profits over global reach.

Some countries with severely limited supplies are home to many refugees or abstract people, vulnerable groups who together number around seventy million worldwide: Jordan, for example, was the first a country that has given COVID-19 vaccines to refugees, a move that UN officials have urged other countries to follow.

Which countries have been successful?

Israel. Within just two weeks of the start of vaccination, Israel had already reached nearly 15 percent of its population, the fastest pace in the world. The government reportedly paid high prices for its vaccine supply, and ordered early doses. It also has a universal healthcare network, making it easier to identify priority groups and carefully monitor vaccines, with a very small population, of around nine million people.

United Arab Emirates. Like Israel, the UAE has a small population and a universal healthcare system, showing similar supply benefits. The Gulf nation has been administering not only vaccines with US-based Moderna and U.S. and German partners Pfizer and BioNTech, but also one developed by Sinopharm in China , delivering doses to nearly one-fifth of its ten million people by mid-January. Also contributing to the rapid rollout are efforts to boost public confidence, including Islamic regulation in favor of COVID-19 vaccines by the country’s Fatwa Council.

Which countries have been struggling?

Canada. Although Canada has prescribed enough vaccine doses to vaccinate the population several times, the distribution has been slow and scattered. Departments and districts, rather than the federal government, are responsible for determining priority groups and working out logistics for reaching thirty-eight million people. Medical experts say residents of long-term care facilities were neglected in the first round, despite some areas having adequate doses.

United States. The lack of a synchronized federal approach has also hampered U.S. dispensing: by the end of January, less than half of the doses dispensed to states had been administered, with local officials and health professionals reporting the the same challenges faced by Canada and others. However, the country is among the highest rates of administered per capita doses, and Biden has announced plans for a more centralized pandemic response, which includes the administration of one hundred million doses in his first hundred days in office.

When is it expected that most of the world’s population will be protected from COVID-19?

It is likely to take years for most of the world’s population to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, aims to roll out two billion doses worldwide by the end of this year.

Researchers have devised different scenarios for vaccine distribution, finding that, with an efficient distribution network, even large countries such as Australia could achieve high vaccine levels within a month or two. CFR’s Thomas J. Bollyky, Jennifer Nuzzo, and Prasith Baccam suggest that, in the United States, the Biden administration should model their vaccination campaign on bioterrorism preparation efforts that followed the 9/11 attacks.