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On the 11th of March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic, triggering a wave of pandemonium globally. Unsurprisingly however, weeks before the declaration, fears and paranoia over the spread of COVID-19 had already translated into  nationalist and racist rhetorics. Unfortunately, this is not new. Blame and fear over pandemics from the past have always been placed on a racial group; Haitian Americans blamed for HIV, Mexican Americans blamed for the swine flu. 

This article will not attempt to answer if we should blame anyone for the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s obvious; we should not. This article will however address the prevalence of racist and nationalist sentiments and whether it is justifiable in any way. 

How institutionalized have racism and nationalism in this pandemic era been? Germany came under fire for halting exports of protective medical equipment to Switzerland and Austria, indicating the beginning of said nationalist sentiments. In addition, the term “vaccine nationalism” has been whirling over the internet recently. 

Vaccine Nationalism, a new threat?

Vaccine nationalism refers to rich countries trying to gain exclusive access to a future COVID-19 vaccine via pre-purchase agreements with manufacturers. On June 15, the German government announced a 300 million euros investment into a biotech company, CureVac in exchange for 23% ownership, prioritising their access to any potential vaccines. This is only months after the US government enquired about a potential pre-purchase agreement between them and CureVac. India and Russia have taken similar steps in recent times. Painting a bleak picture, it illustrates the start of a race; one that will lock out peripheral countries and countries that badly need those vaccines. 

But surely, there’s a justification there. After all, countries owe a responsibility to their citizens and people. And beyond that, these countries are the ones who have invested the most in finding a vaccine; surely it is not outlandish to allow them to reap what they sow first. In addition, countries most involved in the race for vaccines have been countries most badly hit by the pandemic, namely the USA, India, and Russia. Therefore, there seems to be some merit in their pursuit of exclusive access.  

Despite this, there has been much opposition to these recent events. Academics and officials have touted this to be morally reprehensible for putting national interests ahead of global obligations. This is true, for this dark cloud over our lives has affected everyone ubiquitously and so it is imperative that our moral sentiments reach out to every strata of society. 

Peripheral countries also need access to the vaccines, for the lives that are suffering there are equally as valuable as any other life. While sovereign responsibility remains important, there should be a shared burden and emphasis on global struggles. 

Beyond morality, there exists practical considerations to be made. Given the interconnected economic landscape of the world, a single country cured from COVID-19 will not lead to their own economic recovery if the rest of the world remains plagued. Reliance on trade, tourism, and global supply chains would necessitate a streamlined global process in vaccinating and “vaccine nationalism” would only serve to infect that process. 

And therein lies the problem. As a society, we remain boxed in our categorizing of races and nationalities that we have failed to comprehend that the COVID-19 pandemic has rocketed beyond that sphere and should be addressed as what it is: a global threat. Perhaps a morally and practically sound measure would be to distribute vaccines to every medical personnel, followed by citizens globally. After all, a healthy medical workforce would be instrumental in the war against COVID-19 and any preferential treatment would not be risked. 

The role of citizens

Unfortunately, as citizens, we might not be able to sway the pendulum of change in favour of a global distribution. The WHO have been vocally condemning such measures and it remains to be seen how effective they will be. A question to ask ourselves in the meantime would be: What can we do? 

For starters, we should move past the arbitrary constraint of nationality when labelling people behind masks. Vitriolic statements condemning citizens of other nationalities blaze through our social media when it is reported that they enter our country with the disease. We visibly show our dissatisfaction at them and move away from them in public spaces when they are only trying to find refuge and safety. As citizens, we should always voice out our opinions and urge leaders to do the right thing. Perhaps then it would be possible to end the risk of “vaccine nationalism” if every American and Indian citizen urged their government to shed a single tear of empathy to their counterparts in another country.

But to do that, we must first be kind to them. Stop condemning them on social media. Stop spreading rumors that only people of a certain nationality do not wear masks. Stop associating them to their nationality. Treat them how they wish to be treated and maybe then the government would realize that there are no grounds for nationalism in creating the vaccines. Maybe then the horrible injustice to people like Jonathan Mok would never repeat. Remember: COVID-19 is the enemy. Not each other.