As COVID-19 cases continued to climb at the beginning of the year, hope appeared in the form of numerous successful vaccines. Most notably: Moderna (developed in the United States), AstraZeneca (developed in the U.K.) and the Pfizer vaccine (developed in Germany). Contracts were secured quickly by the U.K., European Union and North America. Wealthy governments are on the path for near-total vaccination of their adult populations by the end of the year, but data has exposed the breadth of distribution inequalities worldwide. 

Stephen Cockburn, Head of Economic and Social Justice at Amnesty International said, “Who gets access to a COVID-19 vaccine, when, and at what price, are some of the most significant and contested questions facing our societies today. But the answers are being shaped by the interests of powerful states and companies. So far they have created a dangerous situation with global inequalities in vaccine access spiralling out of control. A few rich countries are racing ahead, while the rest of the world struggles to get off the starting line. Everyone deserves a fair shot at a vaccine — when it comes to our right to health, there is no place for discrimination.”

According to the Financial Times, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Chile, the U.K. and the Maldives are currently vaccinating their populations at the fastest rate. By the end of the year, Germany intends to have vaccinated 60% of its population, Belgium 70% and the U.K. all of its adult population. In total, the European Union signed a contract securing 2.3 billion doses and the U.K., 367 million doses. In stark contrast, Africa has been allocated 300 million doses for a 1.2 billion population.

The World Health Organisation has warned that as poor countries fall behind, the world is on the brink of a “catastrophic moral failure.” As of February, 10 countries accounted for more than three-quarters of administered vaccines. Over one hundred countries are yet to vaccinate a single person; in comparison, the U.K. has vaccinated half of its adult population.

Global inequalities have worsened during the pandemic. Vaccine hoarding by wealthier governments is detrimental to lives residing in poorer nations. Melinda Gates said, “Already, wealthy nations have spent months pre-purchasing doses of vaccines to start immunizing their people… But as things stand now, low and middle-income countries will only be able to cover about one out of five people who live there over the next year.” 

Disparities between vaccine distribution aren’t just showing up in global trends, they have started to appear domestically. In England, data has reported a lower vaccination uptake in poorer areas with as much as a 25% difference. While Israel is currently vaccinating at the world’s highest rate, a person is 60 times more likely to be vaccinated if they reside in Israel rather than Palestine. Palestine has been given a limited amount of doses, reaching only 0.8% of the population. It is cruel to stop the vulnerable from receiving the vaccine as a form of political power play. 

Wealthier nations must aid the countries with a limited amount of vaccines. If prices rise and demand is in excess of supply, it is likely some countries will not achieve full vaccination until at least 2024. Universal access to the vaccine is needed to ensure that no country continues to bear the brunt of the coronavirus as other nations return to pre-COVID life. The income of a country should not be a deciding factor when it comes to saving lives.