In early September, The United States made an official statement that the nation does not intend to join the Covax coalition, in line with President Trump’s general frustration with WHO’s early response to the pandemic.  This policy has been controversial within the public health community, to politicians within the Democratic party, and even within the Trump administration itself.  China is another notable exception to the Covax coalition as of early September, but talks have indicated that this is subject to change.

University of California, Davis

In early summer of 2020, 170 countries joined the World Health Organization’s efforts to develop and equitably distribute a covid-19 vaccine to the most vulnerable, a plan referred to as COVAX.  This is a joint project with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), Gavi, and the Vaccine Alliance.  Covax holds the largest portfolio of covid-19 vaccine candidates in the world.  

Covax: An International Vaccine Effort

Reuters. (2020, September 3). Exclusive: Vaccine Group Says 76 Rich Countries Now Committed to “COVAX” Access Plan. Retrieved September 7, 2020, from https://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2020/09/03/world/asia/03reuters-health-coronavirus-vaccines-covax-exclusive.html

Exclusive: Vaccine Group Says 76 Rich Countries Now Committed to “COVAX” Access Plan

World Health Organization. (2020). The COVAX facility: Global procurement for COVID-19 Vaccines. Retrieved from https://www.gavi.org/sites/default/files/covid/COVAX-Facility-background.pdf

The COVAX facility: Global procurement for COVID-19 Vaccines

A central theory behind covax, is that if nations are competing for intellectual and pharmaceutical resources, this would slow development.  Instead, covax supports communication and pools money from all nations, taking advantage of an economy of scale.  Investment in covax vaccine development is portrayed by the world health organization as a form of “insurance.” 

Covax Vaccine Development

Failure to collaborate could also lead to hoarding within the nation which successfully develops the first successful vaccine, followed by intense competition between wealthy states for remaining vaccines.  Instead, covax has guaranteed equitable distribution to all participating nations, ensuring vaccination of a minimum of 20% of the population, namely those who meet at-risk criteria.   It is also notable that having vaccines distributed across economic zones will be more helpful in rebooting the international economy than having a handful of nation with high rates of vaccination at the expense of other nations.  The group aims to produce 2 billion doses of the vaccine by the end of 2021. 

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