Joanna Rossiter Joanna Rossiter

Why vaccine nationalism won’t end in 2021

After the EU’s behaviour last week, no one can be under any illusion about how nationalistic the pandemic has now become. Even before the EU attempted to halt vaccine supplies destined for Britain, the scrabble to secure enough doses had become reminiscent of the cold war. It wasn’t for nothing that the Russians named their vaccine ‘Sputnik’ – a reference to the satellite they launched in 1957 during the space race. Nor was it by chance that the Scottish government appeared to find it so difficult to say the word ‘Oxford’ when talking about the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine.

But these sorts of political tiffs are just the beginning. Now that vaccinations are underway across the West, focus is beginning to shift onto future supply. The government’s announcement on Monday that they have secured 40 million more doses of the Valneva vaccine, which will be produced in Scotland, shows that Whitehall is clearly planning for a yearly national vaccination programme.

So far, the government has played its cards cleverly, not only shoring up a solid supply ahead of time but also using its production plan to strengthen the Union. The AstraZeneca factory in Wrexham, Wales is already producing a significant proportion of Britain’s vaccines and the decision to invest in the production of the Valneva vaccine in West Lothian is as political as it is logistical. Once Britain is vaccinated, fending off attempts by the SNP to win a second referendum will be top of Boris Johnson’s agenda. The success of Britain’s vaccination programme could play a key role in convincing sceptical Scots to stay in the UK. Using it to bring investment, as well as supplies, into Scotland is a canny move.

The UK now has a vaccine portfolio of 407 million doses ready to be injected into the arms of Brits over the next two years.

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