Vaccine inequity only prolongs the pandemic; wealthy nations must step up

Published Wed, May 26, 2021 · 05:50 AM

LATE last year, the impending roll-out of vaccines to immunise populations against Covid-19 inspired optimism, and with good reason. Vaccines would mitigate the pandemic's worst health impacts and free up healthcare facilities to enable care for the most severe cases. They would bring a measure of herd immunity, enable economies to begin to normalise and get growth back on an even keel.

Now vaccinations are under way in varying degrees across the world. But as more infectious and potentially more virulent strains of the virus have emerged, poorer economies are reeling …