Corona Daily 189: Virus Politics

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, addressed the nation on television on 8 January. He said the vaccines from United States and United Kingdom were forbidden in Iran. “They are completely untrustworthy. It’s not unlikely they would want to contaminate other nations.” He tweeted. 

The Red Crescent Society is a humanitarian organization in Iran. US based Iranian scientists were planning to send 150,000 doses of Pfizer vaccine to Iran. That shipment was cancelled following Ayatollah Khamenei’s comments.

Minoo Mohraz, an epidemiologist who heads Iran’s coronavirus task force, announced the Ministry of Health would import the AstraZeneca vaccine from Sweden. Since 1999, Astra (Sweden) and Zeneca (UK) merged to form a multinational company with headquarters in the UK. Minoo Mohraz emphasized this was a Swedish company, and omitted all references to Oxford to bypass Khamenei’s ban.

In late January, Iran approved the Russian vaccine, Sputnik V. Its first doses are expected to arrive next week. China has also promised to deliver one million doses to Iran.

Iran has had nearly 1.5 million cases, and 59,000 deaths.

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While Iran approved the Russian vaccine, the Ukrainian parliament approved a bill that officially banned any vaccines made in Russia.

Ukraine is the largest country in Europe with 42 million people, and no covid vaccines. It has had 1.25 million cases, and 24,000 deaths. Ukraine’s talks with the USA collapsed when the Trump administration banned vaccine exports. Ukraine’s leaders, who would prefer to literally die before accepting help from Russia, turned to China. In hurried negotiations with China, 1.9 million doses have been promised by Sinovac Biotech, the Chinese supplier. They may arrive this month.

“Russia, as always, uses this in its hybrid war, as an information weapon.” Said Ukraine’s health minister. “One political force just created some hysteria over the registration of the Russian vaccine. I can say at once: You can be hysterical for a very long time, no one will register the Russian vaccine in Ukraine.”

“It’s in Russia’s political interest that Ukraine receive the vaccines from elsewhere as late as possible,” said another minister. “We cannot rely on a Russian state company during an armed aggression against Ukraine” said the government’s medical director. “It’s so politicized it can’t be used.”

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In January, Taiwan once again confirmed that any vaccines made in China were banned from import. Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs council said vaccination was a medical matter and that it “should not be used as political propaganda”. This announcement was made after China offered to vaccinate the 400,000 Taiwanese citizens who live in China.

Taiwan’s government find the vaccines made by the Chinese companies Sinovac and Sinopharm suspect. Any Taiwanese who has received the Chinese vaccines is required to quarantine for fourteen days upon arrival in Taiwan. “There are political concerns, but there are also big concerns about the safety and effectiveness of China-made vaccines.” Its official said.

Having refused the Chinese vaccines, Taiwan currently has no vaccines. It has placed orders with Astra-Zeneca and the Covax, the global initiative. The stocks are expected to arrive in March.

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India, in January, supplied most of its neighbours free doses as a friendship gesture. Bhutan (150,000 doses), the Maldives (100,000), Bangladesh (2 million), Nepal (1 million), Myanmar (1.5 million), Mauritius (100,000) and Seychelles (50,000) received the grant. Pakistan with 550,000 cases and 12,000 deaths till today hasn’t ordered nor granted any vaccines from India.

China has donated 500,000 doses to Pakistan, they will be given to the health workers next week. Pakistani regulators have approved Sinopharm (China), Sputnik V (Russia) and Oxford (UK).

Strangely, 90% of all vaccines (non-covid) administered in Pakistan come from India. Pakistan’s pharma annual imports from India exceed $70 million. 70% of the active ingredients in medicines sold in Pakistan are imported from India. But Covid Vaccines are newsworthy.

Covid Vaccines are an instrument to make new friendships and to emphasize old enmities.

Ravi