ABSTRACT
A huge body of literature which is increasingly taking an exponential trajectory has covered COVID-19 and past-pandemic scenarios within the socio-economic-political discourse. To what extent can one discern the counter-narratives on innovation/innovation pathways playing a role in creating opportunities and solutions for addressing the challenges posed by the pandemic? This chapter draws from these to make a more informed argument, suggestive pathways in the context of innovation and innovation policy. One of the most important and significant instruments that helped to fight the pandemic was the development of COVID-19 vaccines. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of local networks and solidarity, bottom-up approaches, local production and markets, and of networks of sharing at the community level. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown how important the commons, mutuality, and solidarity had become to fight the pandemic.
