On February 28, a year was celebrated in the Basque Country since the first case of coronavirus was confirmed. Since then, 151,000 cases have been diagnosed in CAV, resulting in the deaths of 3,726 people. Globally, according to data from Johns Hopkins University, 115,300,000 cases of Ebola have been diagnosed and 2,561,880 deaths have been recorded.

In the face of these terrible data, it's good news in less than a year, and according to bio RENDER, there are currently 195 vaccine projects, 71 of which are in clinical trials. So much money has never been invested, nor has there been so much collaboration between public institutions, private entities, research centers, universities, families, companies and NGOs to develop vaccines. As a result, the World Health Organization has approved the Pfizer-Biontech, Moderna, AstraZeneca–Oxford, Sputnik V and Sinopharm vaccines. And at least 20 more vaccines are present in Phase III clinical trials and can be accepted in the coming weeks and months, if the results are satisfactory.

However, the question is how a limited number of simple can be equitably and directly distributed. WHO notes that between 60% and 70% of the population should be immunized to break the transmission chain. To ensure equitable access to the vaccine across the globe, so that resource-poor countries receive it in the same amount and at the same time as rich countries, Covax, a platform of rich and poor countries, was created in April 2020 to join forces in research, price negotiation and distribution. The goal of this partnership is to provide 2 billion vaccines to 187 partners by 2021. Of these, some 1.3 billion will go to the 92 poorest countries participating in Greece’s stimulus plan. They will not be able to buy otherwise, and so they will have the opportunity to incorporate about 20% of the population.

It is important to mention that Covax is necessary, but not sufficient. With 20 per cent coverage of the population, it is an essential element of the solution, but poor countries will continue to challenge massive cracks in getting vaccines. In these countries we must deal with the remaining 40-50% of the population needed to achieve collective immunity. So far, Covax has raised $2.4 billion, but the organization estimates it needs at least $4.6 billion more to meet the global vaccination target by 2021.

In the light of these data, it is proposed to discard some doses and maintain them as a "humanitarian reserve". A small reserve of 5 per cent of the total doses available as a protection mechanism as a last resort will be dispensed with if the strategies put in place by a Government are not sufficient to meet the needs of certain demographic groups.

In fact, a study conducted by the University of the Duke of the United States reveals that the distribution of vaccines today constitutes another serious risk to public health worldwide. The situation, in a way, repeats the current global system: the richest countries have purchased the most vaccines to be produced this year, while the poorest will not have the dose needed to donate to their most vulnerable populations. High-income countries account for 16 per cent of the world's population, but account for 60 per cent of the current vaccine dose. As a result, it is estimated that about 90% of the population in 70 low-income countries will have little chance of getting a coronavirus vaccine in 2021. Meanwhile, other nations, like Canada, have purchased enough doses to vaccinate their inhabitants up to five times. Consequently, many poor nations will have to wait until 2024 to incorporate all citizens in their fight against coronavirus.

The unequal distribution of vaccines is dangerous for all. In addition to the moral defeat, it will have serious consequences in both the economic and health spheres. It will cause many more deaths worldwide, especially among our most vulnerable neighbours. In addition, this will mean that the virus will continue to spread and mutate, increasing the risk that our vaccine lists will not effectively cover new strains.

Life does not seem to return to normal until the majority of the world's population is protected from the virus. According to health experts, vaccines are a solution, but they must be shared so that countries can coordinate with each other and end the pandemic.

It is now up to us to decide. Are we willing to postpone our vaccination date to share the vaccine with other more vulnerable populations?

* Josu Urrutia is the director of Beristain Mundukide