No coronavirus vaccine has been approved for use yet, but governments across the globe have already bought up hundreds of millions of doses of several of those under development.
Authorities that have struck deals are typically from countries or regions that also have the manufacturing capacity to produce the vast quantities needed to inoculate whole populations.
Before any vaccine has been given the green light, it would appear that developing countries already face lengthy delays in accessing vital supplies.
“I think it was a concern, now it’s simply become a reality,” said Dr Manuel Martin, a policy advisor at Médecins Sans Frontières.
“It’s unfortunately a reality that high-income countries will secure the first batches of doses, should one of the vaccines be successful.
“Rich countries will be able to vaccinate their key populations, while low and middle-income countries, some of which are heavily affected by Covid, will struggle.”
Rich countries will be able to vaccinate their key populations, while low and middle-income countries, some of which are heavily affected by Covid, will struggle
A look at the agreements already signed suggests fears may not be overblown. A deal for 400 million doses of a vaccine, developed by the University of Oxford, was struck in June by the Inclusive Vaccine Alliance, an initiative of France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands.
The UK has spread its risk across four vaccines in its agreements for 250m doses, while the US government has bought 100m shots in a $1.95bn (Dh7.16bn) deal, with an option for a further 500m.
Governments in Europe and North America have also been investing heavily in vaccine research, which is likely to put them first in line to receive supplies following approval.
“There’s nothing stopping countries from buying up supplies of vaccine from companies,” said Prof Beate Kampmann, of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, who directs vaccine research and trials in The Gambia for the UK’s Medical Research Council.
“It’s only going to be an ethical obligation not to plunder the market. Whether we can entice governments to make available at least a tranche of their supply to low and middle-income countries remains to be seen.”
The UAE too has strong links with vaccine programmes, with late-stage clinical trials for Chinese and Russian vaccines set to take place here, something that could lead to local manufacturing.
For all the concerns, there are initiatives to help poorer nations gain access to supplies, including Covax, which is led by the World Health Organisation, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness (Cepi), and Gavi, formerly the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation.
Covax aims to deliver 2 billion doses of vaccine by the end of next year, with the focus on the most vulnerable 20 per cent of the population in the 165 countries linked to the scheme. Of these countries, 75 are wealthier nations, among them the UAE, that have expressed interest in the scheme; these “self-financing” countries could subsidise vaccinations in lower-income recipient states.
Question marks have been raised, notably by MSF, about whether Gavi, which typically delivers vaccine programmes in poorer countries, is an appropriate organisation to run a truly global scheme that also involves negotiations with middle and high-income countries.
Another key issue is whether the necessary finance will be available.
“Although everybody would work to achieve equity, it’s going to be hard to achieve because the money has to be there and the supplies have to be there,” said Prof David Salisbury, who previously chaired the WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on immunisation and is a former director of immunisation at the UK Department of Health.
“Quite a few countries have signed expressions of interest … [but] Covax has to have money to be able to commit to contracts with supplies. There will be a commitment required from those that are interested in terms of putting their money down.”
The hope is that early sponsors could encourage other nations to get on board as donors. Philanthropists engaged in impact investing could also look to support vaccine work.
Healthcare workers might be able to strongarm governments into ensuring their counterparts in other nations are vaccinated, suggested Prof Kampmann, but the same may not apply to other key groups who need vaccination, such as the elderly, who lack advocacy.
As well as moral pressure, self-interest may make governments keen to ensure other nations receive supplies, especially if they are important trading partners.
A particular concern may be middle-income nations that are too well off to receive support from Gavi, yet, still lack the resources to buy supplies in what will be a highly competitive market, said Prof Kaupmann.
“They often have large populations – Brazil, India, Pakistan. Given the scale, they may not be able to provide adequately,” she said.
Logistical factors may also come into play, with certain nations potentially finding it harder to identify at-risk individuals than will countries that already have well-developed annual influenza vaccination programmes, which typically target the elderly.
“They may have childhood vaccination, but they don’t know where their adults over 65 are [or] with multiple risks,” said Prof Salisbury.
“Your distribution of the vaccine that you have becomes even more challenging. The questions countries have to ask are: can we access it; can we afford to pay for it; if we have it, do we have the infrastructure in place.
“Gulf countries can afford it and could be able to make contracts if they haven’t already, but they would have to think carefully about their implementation if they don’t have any established adult vaccination programmes.”
Whether the vaccine or vaccines that are rolled out prevent the virus’s spread or have the more limited ability to simply stop people falling ill will also determine how global vaccination progresses.
If a vaccine can prevent only illness, governments may focus on inoculating their most vulnerable groups rather than their whole populations, potentially allowing a faster, more equitable, global rollout. The problem would then be “much smaller than we currently think,” said Prof Kampmann.
Despite the widespread concerns, some observers are broadly optimistic about the roll-out of coronavirus vaccines.
Prof David Taylor, who researches pharmaceutical and public health policy at University College London, said it is much easier to roll out vaccination programmes in developing countries than it is to deliver high quality care for cancer or diabetes, for example.
“The record on vaccines themselves isn’t that bad,” he said. “During the 21st century we’ve progressed a long way in protecting global populations, where we can, through vaccines.
“Drugs are relatively easy to distribute … It’s in the interests of the rich world to make sure the whole world is protected.”
China, with its strong links to Africa, may be keen to provide supplies of its vaccines to the continent, which lacks significant manufacturing capacity apart from in South Africa.
Prof Taylor is not under any illusions that the distribution of any coronavirus vaccines will be totally equitable; the developed world will, he said, have access earlier.
But, given the age structure of the populations – developed countries typically have older populations due to lower birth rates in recent decades – this may not be inappropriate.
He also sees a silver lining in the way that governments in richer nations are buying up hundreds of millions of doses of vaccines even before clinical trials are completed: this could attract investment that speeds up vaccine development by offering security to investors.
Yet Dr Manuel at MSF said people should not expect that a significant proportion of vaccine production will be given to low and middle-income countries, given the actions so far of high-income nations.
“Unfortunately we’ve seen a lot of high-income countries go off and do their own thing,” he said.
The Bio
Favourite vegetable: “I really like the taste of the beetroot, the potatoes and the eggplant we are producing.”
Holiday destination: “I like Paris very much, it’s a city very close to my heart.”
Book: “Das Kapital, by Karl Marx. I am not a communist, but there are a lot of lessons for the capitalist system, if you let it get out of control, and humanity.”
Musician: “I like very much Fairuz, the Lebanese singer, and the other is Umm Kulthum. Fairuz is for listening to in the morning, Umm Kulthum for the night.”
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
Squid Game season two
Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon and Lee Byung-hun
Rating: 4.5/5
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Roll of honour 2019-2020
Dubai Rugby Sevens
Winners: Dubai Hurricanes
Runners up: Bahrain
West Asia Premiership
Winners: Bahrain
Runners up: UAE Premiership
UAE Premiership
Winners: Dubai Exiles
Runners up: Dubai Hurricanes
UAE Division One
Winners: Abu Dhabi Saracens
Runners up: Dubai Hurricanes II
UAE Division Two
Winners: Barrelhouse
Runners up: RAK Rugby
Four motivational quotes from Alicia's Dubai talk
“The only thing we need is to know that we have faith. Faith and hope in our own dreams. The belief that, when we keep going we’re going to find our way. That’s all we got.”
“Sometimes we try so hard to keep things inside. We try so hard to pretend it’s not really bothering us. In some ways, that hurts us more. You don’t realise how dishonest you are with yourself sometimes, but I realised that if I spoke it, I could let it go.”
“One good thing is to know you’re not the only one going through it. You’re not the only one trying to find your way, trying to find yourself, trying to find amazing energy, trying to find a light. Show all of yourself. Show every nuance. All of your magic. All of your colours. Be true to that. You can be unafraid.”
“It’s time to stop holding back. It’s time to do it on your terms. It’s time to shine in the most unbelievable way. It’s time to let go of negativity and find your tribe, find those people that lift you up, because everybody else is just in your way.”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
MATCH INFO
Norwich City 0 Southampton 3 (Ings 49', Armstrong 54', Redmond 79')
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Results
1. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) 1hr 32mins 03.897sec
2. Max Verstappen (Red Bull-Honda) at 0.745s
3. Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) 37.383s
4. Lando Norris (McLaren) 46.466s
5.Sergio Perez (Red Bull-Honda) 52.047s
6. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) 59.090s
7. Daniel Ricciardo (McLaren) 1:06.004
8. Carlos Sainz Jr (Ferrari) 1:07.100
9. Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri-Honda) 1:25.692
10. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin-Mercedes) 1:26.713,
Ain Dubai in numbers
126: The length in metres of the legs supporting the structure
1 football pitch: The length of each permanent spoke is longer than a professional soccer pitch
16 A380 Airbuses: The equivalent weight of the wheel rim.
9,000 tonnes: The amount of steel used to construct the project.
5 tonnes: The weight of each permanent spoke that is holding the wheel rim in place
192: The amount of cable wires used to create the wheel. They measure a distance of 2,4000km in total, the equivalent of the distance between Dubai and Cairo.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl
Power: 153hp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 200Nm at 4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Price: Dh99,000
On sale: now
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
What went into the film
25 visual effects (VFX) studios
2,150 VFX shots in a film with 2,500 shots
1,000 VFX artists
3,000 technicians
10 Concept artists, 25 3D designers
New sound technology, named 4D SRL
Brief scoreline:
Burnley 3
Barnes 63', 70', Berg Gudmundsson 75'
Southampton 3
Man of the match
Ashley Barnes (Burnley)
Premier Futsal 2017 Finals
Al Wasl Football Club; six teams, five-a-side
Delhi Dragons: Ronaldinho
Bengaluru Royals: Paul Scholes
Mumbai Warriors: Ryan Giggs
Chennai Ginghams: Hernan Crespo
Telugu Tigers: Deco
Kerala Cobras: Michel Salgado
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
