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What is Equitable Vaccine Distribution to you?

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  1. #1

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    What is Equitable Vaccine Distribution to you?

    I keep hearing about "equitable vaccine distribution" on the news, Al Jazeera even did a half-hour follow up about this topic. I guess there are two issues- intra-country and inter-country.

    I think intra-country is pretty straightforward, various groups have issued recommendations as to the order of vaccine distribution (1- frontline health workers, 2- those with underlying health conditions and elderly, also teachers and people who have contact with the public...and on down the line).

    As far as international distribution, I keep hearing about how are we going to ensure poor countries have fair access- while that is a serious issue, for once it is the rich countries that are more seriously affected (e.g., US and Western Europe). So, for once, I think it makes sense that resources be directed to those areas as higher priority.

    Anyway, it's a large and serious issue, was wondering about people's thoughts?

    https://www.nationalacademies.org/ne...al-authorities


  2. #2

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    Quote Originally Posted by MABinPengChau:
    I keep hearing about "equitable vaccine distribution" on the news, Al Jazeera even did a half-hour follow up about this topic. I guess there are two issues- intra-country and inter-country.

    I think intra-country is pretty straightforward, various groups have issued recommendations as to the order of vaccine distribution (1- frontline health workers, 2- those with underlying health conditions and elderly, also teachers and people who have contact with the public...and on down the line).

    As far as international distribution, I keep hearing about how are we going to ensure poor countries have fair access- while that is a serious issue, for once it is the rich countries that are more seriously affected (e.g., US and Western Europe). So, for once, I think it makes sense that resources be directed to those areas as higher priority.

    Anyway, it's a large and serious issue, was wondering about people's thoughts?

    https://www.nationalacademies.org/ne...al-authorities
    The US is in a serious mess largely because of their own stupidity, why should they get priority? Other poorer countries have done much more to limit the spread, at great cost, so why should they be punished for that?

    [Philippines has been promised priority by the Americans, Russians and Chinese. Sod's Law it seems the British one may be the vaccine of choice]
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  3. #3

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    Quote Originally Posted by hullexile:
    The US is in a serious mess largely because of their own stupidity, why should they get priority? Other poorer countries have done much more to limit the spread, at great cost, so why should they be punished for that?
    Maybe because they can pay for their vaccines? Medical companies aren't charities, they'll sell the vaccine to whichever country pays the most. And why shouldn't they? If poorer countries want priority access, they gotta pay for it. The world isn't some magic fairy tale where countries who have done "much more" somehow get rewarded.
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  4. #4

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    The fairest way would be to give it to the low risk first so we can put this last year behind us and get on with our lives.

    There's an argument that those with lifestyle diseases shouldn't be getting it at all, never mind priority.


  5. #5

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    Fair and equitableGood one... Maybe on another planet. On this one, not a chance. Guaranteed the vaccine will be just like COViD, the richer you are, the better off you will be.

    This one is funny: The rich countries have been the most affected... You mean because they can afford to test and then publish that people are dying from COVID instead of the multitude of other ailments that kill people in poor country because they are not getting treatment? Or is it because poor countries are used to suffering so having a pandemic isn't that much more suffering?


  6. #6

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    Quote Originally Posted by mrgoodkat:
    Maybe because they can pay for their vaccines? Medical companies aren't charities, they'll sell the vaccine to whichever country pays the most. And why shouldn't they? If poorer countries want priority access, they gotta pay for it. The world isn't some magic fairy tale where countries who have done "much more" somehow get rewarded.
    Well given it is only the common cold why is it an issue?

    I did not say the companies should pay, there are other options.

  7. #7

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    Here in Australia, we are more excited about the Oxford vaccine rather than Pfizer or Moderna, because even though it's slightly less effective (90% Oxford vs 95% for Pfizer/Moderna) it can be transported and distributed at "regular vaccine refridgeration temperatures". So will be much easier and cheaper to distribute. So we've got our money on this one.

    Qantas CEO under fire today for making vaccination mandatory for anyone travelling on Qantas international flights. Although I am not really sure what all the fuss is about, I am sure most countries and airlines are going to have a rule similar to this anyway.and it makes sense to me.

    https://www.news.com.au/travel/trave...73e4def7505a15

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  8. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by Kowloon72:
    The fairest way would be to give it to the low risk first so we can put this last year behind us and get on with our lives.

    There's an argument that those with lifestyle diseases shouldn't be getting it at all, never mind priority.
    Well that rules out many Americans. Personally I won't be taking it even if offered.

  9. #9

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    The US handled things in about the worst possible way, agreed, but it still didn't start in the US and the main fault was in letting it spread far and wide around the globe, which is clearly the fault of China- while they kept people from Wuhan from going to places like Beijing, they complained when other countries tried to place bans on Chinese travelers.

    So, from that point of view, and given that a US company is a developer of said vaccine, I feel like Americans and Europeans getting priority is still OK- let's face it, these are the places the Chinese were travelling to, not so much sub-Saharan Africa.

    To me, frontline health workers around the globe first, before "civilians" of any kind. Won't happen, because in many poorer countries there is also a fair bit of corruption where the politicians and their buddies will be first in line...some poor nurse in a ward in a rural hospital has little chance...

    I have seen too many innocent people in the US, people who followed every guideline and got infected anyway, to say that something like this is their "fault."


  10. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by bdw:
    Here in Australia, we are more excited about the Oxford vaccine rather than Pfizer or Moderna, because even though it's slightly less effective (90% Oxford vs 95% for Pfizer/Moderna) it can be transported and distributed at "regular vaccine refridgeration temperatures". So will be much easier and cheaper to distribute. So we've got our money on this one.

    Qantas CEO under fire today for making vaccination mandatory for anyone travelling on Qantas international flights. Although I am not really sure what all the fuss is about, I am sure most countries and airlines are going to have a rule similar to this anyway.and it makes sense to me.
    I'm not sure how the vaccines will help with traveling initially. My understanding is that at this point the vaccine does not prevent the transmission of the disease, it only suppresses the symptoms when you catch the virus, it doesn't help anyone else but the person that is vaccinated.

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