Santarelli Discusses Equitable COVID Vaccine Distribution
Maria Santarelli (Pardee MA ’21) published an op-ed in BU Today in which she discussed COVID-19 vaccine access for poor and developing countries.
In the article, titled “POV: Poor Countries Need Equal Access to COVID-19 Vaccine,” Santarelli discussed COVID-19 vaccine development and distribution, how care and resources are concentrated in the wealthiest parts of the world, and how this reinforces “the persistent and unsustainable inequality between the Global South and the Global North.” Despite promises by wealthier countries to support a multilateral response to the pandemic, Santarelli found herself asking why there is this constant gap between commitments and actions.
Santarelli concludes by stating that an equitable vaccine distribution that focuses on the most vulnerable populations despite their country of residence is in every country’s economic interest. As she says, “it is up to wealthy countries to ‘leave no one behind’ and promote a sustainable and inclusive COVID-19 recovery.”
The full op-ed can be read on BU Today‘s website.