Global problems require global solutions. With COVID-19, however, we’re seeing that our governance mechanisms don’t drive global solutions even when our lives depend on it. In the current global landscape, the virus outsmarted us. Global vaccine roll-out has been inequitable: less than three per cent of people in low-income countries have been vaccinated as the richest countries hoard vaccines, and refuse to support waivers on COVID-19 vaccine patent rights or to keep pharmaceutical companies from bullying middle- and lower-income countries. This is an article by Gloria Novovic.

The following is a Nov. 30, 2021 article from Mike Blanchfield and Sarah Smellie, The Canadian Press. If we don’t want to see more variants such as Omicron, Canada and other rich countries need to address vaccine inequity in the world. In May 2021 RNAO issued an action alert calling on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to ensure global access.

The rate of vaccination in the poorest countries remains dismal, and rich countries such as Canada continue to fail in their promises to help. The following is an October 22 CBC Radio article. The original article can be found here. It was written by Mehek Mazhar. Interview with Brittany Lambert produced by Katie Geleff.

The following is adapted from an article by Agence France-Presse in Geneva that appeared in The Guardian on August 18.

RNAO is considering the question of a third dose of COVID-19 vaccine. The following article from Sheena Cruickshank reflects our current thinking on the matter. Basically, we believe it is too early to launch a vaccine booster program in Canada, except for immunodeficient persons and adults 80 years and older.

This week we consider the shocking status of vaccine inequity from a global perspective. World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said recently that the world is at risk of 'vaccine apartheid'. The WHO chief highlighted that at least 63 million doses of vaccines have been shipped to 124 countries and economies, but they represent just 0.5 per cent of the combined population of those nations. He also noted that the basic problem of vaccine inequity was a lack of sharing by the wealthy countries that have accumulated most of the vaccine supplies.

This article addresses the shocking contrast between Canada's declarations of concern with the global distribution of vaccines, and the poor reality of its actions. Joel Lexchin, Professor Emeritus of Health Policy and Management, York University, Emergency Physician at University Health Network, Associate Professor of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto tackles this question.

As we reach enormously successful levels of COVID-19 inoculation in Canada and other rich countries, the disparities with the rest of the world become starker. This article considers the enormous cost in lives of leaving most of the global population unvaccinated. It draws lessons on how we can do better from the effort to provide lifesaving drugs for HIV-AIDS in the 1990s. This June 22 article is by Maria De Jesus, Associate Professor and Research Fellow at the Center on Health, Risk, and Society, American University School of International Service.