Street scene in The Gambia. Mask-wearing is not common, and social distancing is difficult. Photo by author

Global North countries, including France, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States, are hoarding COVID-19 vaccines, leaving countries of the Global South behind in equitable access to vaccines. As COVID-19 vaccines become available, many Global North countries have already purchased half of the available vaccines. Some of them have already purchased more doses than they need for their citizens. The European Union announced a deal with Pfizer and BioNTech for 300 million additional doses, giving the EU nearly half of the firms’ global output for 2021. Furthermore, Canada has struck deals that would enable it to immunize 505 percent of its population; the US has secured enough doses to vaccinate 200 percent of its population. This brute behavior leaves countries in the Global South far behind in the vaccine queue, or not in it at all. The delay in access to vaccines for citizens of Global South countries is ultimately more costly for all, as the pandemic will continue, further destroying lives worldwide. African countries are yet again behind in acquiring the needed vaccines, even though some of the clinical trials for these vaccines were carried out in Africa. This replicates the painful history of the 1990s, when many Africans participated in trials for the antiretroviral drugs to treat HIV, but Africans were among the last people to receive treatments. Many African countries rely on the COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) initiative to receive COVID-19 vaccines to vaccinate its population. Continue reading →