Nearly every person on the planet is vulnerable to the new coronavirus, SarsCoV2. That’s why there are more than 100 projects around the world racing towards the goal of creating a safe and effective vaccine for the disease it causes, Covid19, in the next 12 to 18 months. But this is just the first part of a long and complex process, working at a pace and scale never attempted before.

In Vaccines, Money and Politics, Sandra Kanthal looks at the vast ecosystem needed to deliver a vaccination programme to the world in record time. This will require billions of dollars, and likely more than one successful candidate to meet the global demand. The world will need to secure supply chains in order to avoid shortages of vital supplies like medical glass. Companies will have to manufacture the most promising candidates even before they know if the vaccines will work, otherwise the process will be further delayed. Authorities across the world will have to work together to overcome the temptation for countries to keep the vaccines for themselves and allocate a fair global distribution, and then decide which sectors of the population get them first. And they’ll need a communication strategy to convince the public the vaccines are safe and effective – and to combat the antivaxx messages already gaining traction on social media. What plans are in place to make this all happen - and will they work?

Presenter/Producer: Sandra Kanthal

(Photo: Coronavirus model and medical syringe are seen with "Covid-19" sign, Credit: Getty Images) Show less