After Two Years of Covid, Report Finds Pandemic Made Far Deadlier by 'Greed'

"A new Oxfam analysis finds that "99% of humanity" is worse off due to Covid-19 while the world's 10 richest men have doubled their fortunes during the pandemic."

"If a single word can encapsulate why—two years into the global Covid-19 pandemic—the virus continues to spread widely and kill thousands of people each day despite the availability of lifesaving vaccines, the humanitarian group Oxfam International on Thursday suggested that word is "greed."

"Rich countries derailed the global vaccine rollout with nationalism, greed, and self-interest."

"In a new report titled "Pandemic of Greed," Oxfam offers a grave assessment of the current state of the public health emergency in an effort to bury the notion that the coronavirus is on its way out and normality is on the horizon—a rosy and potentially dangerous sentiment voiced in recent days by the leaders of rich nations and the executives of powerful pharmaceutical companies."

"While effective vaccines provide hope, their rollout has tipped, from a natural desire to protect citizens, into nationalism, greed, and self-interest," reads Oxfam's report, compiled on behalf of the People's Vaccine Alliance. "Large numbers of people in low-income countries face the virus unprotected and millions of people would still be alive today if they had had access to a vaccine. Big pharmaceutical corporations have been given free rein to prioritize profits ahead of vaccine equality."

Full Article: [commondreams.org]