RE:WIRED 2021: Dr. Nahid Bhadelia on Vaccine Distribution

The issue is I think people are hearing

that there is a glut of vaccines,

but the vaccines from the point of manufacturing

are not getting to where they need to go.

So a couple of reasons why, and I think,

Stephane is exactly right, it was a miracle to try

to get the manufacturing setup

to get the raw materials supplies.

But we are looking at a future where we're not talking about

just the vaccines for the next few months,

but if we are looking at an endemic virus

that's gonna pose an ongoing threat,

then we not just need to get first doses,

but we might need to get boosters around the world.

So the need for these vaccines extends beyond

the next six months although the next six months

are critical, which means that we need to, in my opinion,

democratize manufacturing moving forward.

And I know that that has really profound implications

in terms of how we deal with

how we've rewarded the hard work of the scientists

the Moderna and Pfizer and elsewhere.

But you cannot get the 8 billion doses that we need

and potentially more, if this becomes,

we decide that this becomes a three-dose vaccine,

because apparently we didn't dose the first two doses

close it up or far enough out.

Then the rest of the world is even farther out

that means we need new doses.

And so just to give you an idea of,

it's not a glut of vaccines yet, even donations, right?

Right now the manufacturer has been lagging.

And so US of the 865 million that were promised

only 211 million have actually been delivered,

even though US is actually the leader in terms of donations

and getting the things out.

EU 700 million doses were donated, but of that

less than 1/4 have actually made it out

to the country that they need to get to.

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