ABSTRACT
The discovery of COVID-19 vaccines marked a milestone in the history of medicine. They have led to a steady decline in the number of cases worldwide, thereby paving the way for the relaxation of health restrictions, a gradual return to normal life, and the end of the COVID-19’s emergency phase.
The post-pandemic scenario, has, however, left unresolved several issues such as equitable access to vaccines and treatments in an epidemic and pandemic context, the lack of solidarity, and vaccine hesitancy.
Vaccine nationalism was a key feature of governments’ responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, since global and coordinated access to vaccines was limited during the pandemic. The lack of cooperation was evident in this sector, and this is the reason why the new pandemic treaty (WHO CA+) highlights vaccine and drug equity. The lack of global cooperation in defeating the COVID-19 pandemic was one of the main features of the States’ reaction to the disease outbreak. Vaccine nationalism, which allowed developed countries to ensure in advance large doses of COVID-19 vaccines for their own populations, was a clear signal towards this direction. Under a global health law and policy point of view, it is evident that the only solution to defeat a pandemic is a global roll out of vaccines and treatments. Part I of this chapter focuses on the discrepancy between the practices of States – as represented by Advance Purchase Agreements – and the rhetoric of global public goods.
Another problem was (and is still) represented by vaccine hesitancy, which forced some countries to impose compulsory vaccination against COVID-19 for the whole population (such as in the case of Austria) or for specific groups. Part II of the chapter addresses the issue of the legitimacy of imposing compulsory vaccination and its interrelation with fundamental rights.
This chapter highlights that COVID-19 vaccines and non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) were successful in controlling SARS-CoV-2 transmission in the communities and rendered COVID-19 an endemic disease whose spread can be kept under control by domestic authorities.
