Vaccine Trade Wars Have Just One Winner: Covid-19
Europe’s export curbs on life-saving medicines are a slippery slope. We need more global supply, not less.
A race against the clock.
Photographer: Ian Forsyth/Getty Images
Vaccine nationalism is escalating in a world where Covid-19 is everywhere, yet the life-saving medicines needed to fight it are scarce. The temptation to hoard doses is rising, but that would prolong the pandemic by driving an even bigger wedge between leaders and laggards. Without a focus on increasing supply and sharing doses across borders, the virus will be with us longer than we fear.
If tempers are running hot, it’s because supplies are running low. The European Union, furious at a drastic cut in expected deliveries from AstraZeneca Plc, is introducing export curbs to prevent vaccines leaving its territory if it feels drugmakers aren’t living up to their commitments. “This is a race against the clock,” said EU Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis. “We cannot lose time because of vaccines not being delivered on schedule.” There will be exceptions for some neighboring and low-income countries.