Why are we not donating Covid vaccines that are about to expire?

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Why are we holding on to more vaccines than we can possibly use? (Getty/iStock)

Gordon Brown highlights that the UK and other governments have vast stockpiles of vaccines that are fast approaching their sell-by date and destined for landfill, while at the same time many countries have none. We know that no one is safe until all are safe. Hopefully, he will be listened to.

Why are we holding on to more vaccines than we can possibly use? Surely enlightened self-interest says we should urgently get it into the arms of people in less developed countries as “no one is safe until we are all safe” – this will protect us from variants.

Is our culture and most others based solely on acquisitiveness? Deep down do we all subscribe to “greed is good”? If so, it could explain why we hoard vaccines we cannot use and it might also explain the lack of commitment by rich nations ahead of Cop26 to transfer funds to enable poorer countries to tackle climate change, which if not tackled head-on will be disastrous for us all.