The race for Covid-19 vaccine

Context: The global competition in vaccine development is as much about prestige as about saving millions of lives and earning billions of dollars and will make biotechnology as a major element in global power equations 

Various Vaccine development Efforts:

• USA’s efforts: US’s Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), $1.2 billion support to Oxford University-AstraZeneca to deliver doses of their potential vaccine .

• Triggered China:

• China became the only country to have advanced to phase II of the trials.

• China’s efforts are directed towards redeeming itself of the blame of  pandemic spread

• Other leading candidates: Pfizer and BioNTech of Germany, Moderna and Inovio in the US.

• Military involvement: in both the US and China to fast track vaccine development.

• Innovative approaches for global use:

• Advance agreement for drug purchase: by the US with Oxford-AstraZeneca to ensure quick availability of drugs.

• Bilateral engagement: Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness (CEPI) is being sponsored by Norway and India to finance new vaccines is a major player. 

• Serum Institute of India; being the biggest vaccine maker in the world is sharing the effort of CEPI and GAVI in making the timely availability of vaccines to all.

Conclusion:

• Fear remains : 

• Vaccine nationalism: due to extreme competition between the nations in light of prestige.

• A ‘gold standard’ vaccine: giving protection of six months, at least 50 per cent effective and able to prevent the transmission of the virus—will take time.

• Effect of global power equations: The continuing tussle between US and China is seen to be venting out through vaccine development and biotechnology as their weapon.