A Global Shot in the Arm, With Anthony Fauci

Successful vaccine rollouts in the United States and other wealthy nations have made many people hopeful that the end of the COVID-19 pandemic is in sight. But the majority of the world’s population does not yet have access to these vaccines. Without a strong global effort to immunize everyone, new variants could tighten the pandemic’s grip on rich and poor countries alike.

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Host
  • Gabrielle Sierra
    Director, Podcasting
Credits

Asher Ross - Supervising Producer

Markus Zakaria - Audio Producer and Sound Designer

Rafaela Siewert - Associate Podcast Producer

Episode Guests
  • Anthony S. Fauci
    Director, U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
  • Richard Haass
    President Emeritus, Council on Foreign Relations
  • Tidjane Thiam
    Special Envoy for COVID-19 Response, African Union

Show Notes

Following a highly competitive bidding process, wealthy countries that account for a minority of the world’s population have obtained a majority of the approved COVID-19 vaccines. Even with global initiatives such as COVAX, it could take many years for poorer nations to immunize their populations. 

 

The unchecked spread of COVID-19 leads to more virus mutations, and epidemiologists are concerned that unvaccinated countries will become hotbeds for new variants, some of which could resist existing vaccines and reinfect populations even in countries where most people have been vaccinated. 

 

In this episode, Anthony Fauci, Richard N. Haass, and Tidjane Thiam explain that a strong global vaccination effort is not just the right thing to do from a humanitarian perspective, but an essential step to ending this pandemic at home.

 

CFR Resources

 

A Guide to Global COVID-19 Vaccine Efforts,” Claire Felter

 

Vaccine Spheres of Influence Tracker,” Think Global Health, by Samantha Kiernan, Priyanka Sethy, Kailey Shanks, and Serena Tohme

 

The Politics of a COVID-19 Vaccine,” Richard N. Haass

 

Vaccine Diplomacy: China and Sinopharm in Africa,” Neil Edwards

 

America’s Vaccine Diplomacy Is AWOL in the Middle East.” Steven A. Cook

 

The Tragedy of Vaccine Nationalism,” Foreign Affairs, by Thomas J. Bollyky and Chad P. Bown

 

Chronicle of a Pandemic Foretold,” Foreign Affairs, by Michael T. Osterholm and Mark Olshaker

 

The COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout,” Vin Gupta, Margaret Hamburg, and Clarion E. Johnson

 

September/October 2020 Issue Launch: What Happens When We Have the Vaccine?Foreign Affairs

 

From Anthony S. Fauci

 

SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern in the United States—Challenges and Opportunities,” JAMA

 

SARS-CoV-2 Viral Variants—Tackling a Moving Target,” JAMA

 

From Tidjane Thiam

 

COVID-19: arming Africa with a debt, aid and open digital delivery partnership,” Africa Report

 

Read More

 

Why Rich Countries Should Subsidize Vaccination Around the World,” New Yorker

 

Virus Variant First Found in Britain Now Spreading Rapidly in U.S.,” New York Times

 

South Africa suspends Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine rollout after researchers report ‘minimal’ protection against coronavirus variant,” Washington Post

 

Vaccines are the new diplomatic currency,” New York Times

 

Biden Says U.S. Struck Deals for 200 Million More Covid-19 Vaccine Doses,” Wall Street Journal

 

How vaccination efforts across the world may affect Americans,” Los Angeles Times

 

White House announces $4 billion in funding for Covax, the global vaccine effort that Trump spurned,” Washington Post

 

Coronavirus vaccines could cement Africa’s relationship with China,” Deutsche Welle

 

Watch or Listen

 

A Conversation With Dr. Anthony Fauc‪i,” The Daily

 

Dr. Anthony Fauci,” Fresh Air

 

Vaccine hoarding,” Today, Explained


 

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