Vaccine Wars: Mark 2

As one might have expected, when vaccines to treat Covid-19 are in short supply, arguments about access to medicines break out. It is claimed the UK is on a 'collision course' with the EU, as Brussels refuses to accept that the 'British have first claim on doses of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine' produced in its local plants. The row appears to come down to an antagonism between the focus of public health (protecting vulnerable people in all locations) and the, very human (selfish genes, anyone?), response of wanting first protections for one's relatives and friends. Add politics to this heady mix and there is a recipe for serious tensions. It's difficult to work out where a balance could be struck (both views have some merit). I appreciate, that a viewpoint offered by AstraZeneca is likely to be somewhat partial but it does appear lay out the basic issues (https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/jan/27/eu-covid-vaccines-row-astrazeneca-boss-reveals-problems). AstraZeneca confirmed that the EU ordered 80m doses of their not-for-profit vaccine but claim they did this rather late. The company maintain the contract was signed on a 'best efforts to deliver' basis. AstraZeneca claim that they have tried to set up vaccine production and processing facilities close to the populations that will be using them. In Europe, the drug substance (the vaccine), is produced in The Netherlands and Belgium but the drug product (putting it into vials), is carried out in Italy and Germany. There seems to be a particular problem with vaccine production in the Belgian plant. AstraZeneca maintain that 'teething problems' in vaccine production are not unknown (that's why they signed on a 'best efforts to deliver' basis). They point out that the UK ordered 100m doses but did this much earlier than the EU. There has, consequently, been more time to 'iron out' production problems in the UK. The company also note that it was easier to set up operations in Britain because they simply had to scale up a system developed by Oxford University. The UK also fast-tracked approval of the vaccine. AstraZeneca appreciate that the EU (which is said to be coming under pressure for the presumed slowness of its vaccination programmes) will be disappointed by the company's ability to deliver 'only' 31m doses in the first phase and around 50% of later orders. This will certainly delay mass vaccination programmes. They do not see, however, why vaccine should be diverted from UK plants, before the company has fulfilled its contractual obligations to the UK. I can't see any way the UK government is going to agree to 'British vaccine' going to Europe, in the immediate future, as the relative speed of their vaccination programme is the only positive success that they can (and do) point to. There is no doubt that vaccination needs to occur very widely before we (and our economies) can be safely insulated from Covid-19. Just imagine, however, the frictions that are likely to develop about access to vaccines when poorer areas of the world become involved?