While vaccination against the virus begins Sunday, December 27 in France, we can salute the hard work of researchers around the world: they have developed these vaccines in record time.
“This is the first time that humanity has joined forces to find a solution to a gigantic problem”, observed sociologist Jean Viard.
New scientific techniques have made it possible to draw up the identity card of the virus in a few days whereas it had taken three and a half years to draw up that of AIDS (1). States have also mobilized to finance this research.
Fair distribution
But this vaccine must be distributed fairly. However, the rich countries have pre-ordered so many vaccines – 80% of what is produced according to NGOs, – that billions of people in poor countries are likely to wait until 2024 before benefiting from them, reports Arte.
In addition to a glaring injustice, that would be a very bad calculation. “Faced with a challenge that knows no borders, we cannot erect barriers. We are all in the same boat ”, Pope Francis recalled in his Christmas message. “The European Union will only be safe if the rest of the world is safe”, argued Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission.
Vaccines: a global common good
These vaccines should be a global common good and not “A commercial product” as deplored by Argentina, whose negotiations with Pfizer were still unsuccessful. Pope Francis recalled the priorities: “I cannot put myself in front of others by placing the laws of the market above the laws of love and the health of mankind. “
The United Nations set up the Covax program so that poor countries can benefit from vaccines. More than 170 countries are participating. The European Union, in addition to having pre-ordered vaccines for Europeans, guarantees 500 million euros for vaccines from the poorest countries. It also organized a global fundraising that raised 15 billion euros (2).
But we must go further. The Pope calls on States, companies, international organizations to “To promote cooperation and not competition and to seek a solution for all, vaccines for all, in particular for the most vulnerable and the most in need”. Against the “Virus of radical individualism”, there is no other vaccine than that of solidarity.
Open a new horizon
Through the ordeal of the pandemic, we have discovered our ability to act together, which opens up a new horizon. If we manage to unite this time around, then we will also succeed in overcoming the other challenges of our time. They are not lacking: to put an end to the degradation of nature; get out of the interminable wars that the poorest pay with their lives; avoid forced exoduses and considerable migrations that create so much misfortune and destabilization …
We now know that it depends on our will to unite in order to ensure access for all to the common goods of humanity.
(1) The World 25,26-12-20.
(2) www.touteleurope.eu, 22-12-20
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