Morality and Covid-19

In 2020, 3 regions raced to make the first covid vaccine. The first vaccine producer will rake in billions of dollars in profits even if only one out of eight people will buy it. The first vaccines were made by 2 US drug firms then by UK’s Oxford then by Russia (Sputnik) and China (Sinovac). This March 2021 we saw a perfect example of the good and bad side of human nature and the difference between western (US, UK, South America) democratic states and the eastern socialist nations of Russia and China. The economic engine of the west is powered by capitalism. Its fuel is profit. The East is driven by the engine of socialism. It is fueled by communism meaning all for the good of all, those who have more must share with those who have less or who have nothing. Capitalism is more appealing because there is less state control/restriction unlike socialism which is spiced with totalitarianism/dictatorship. Sadly, capitalism, the west’s powerful magnet is also its worst and ugliest attraction.

On March 4, 2021, Italy stopped the export of Covid vaccine to Australia because of an EU rule, that all EU citizens shall be jabbed first before shipping to other states. US also used this rule. At the very same time, Russia and China donated millions of Sputnik and Sinovac jabs to poor nations in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. At that time (March 2021) less than 10 percent of the Chinese (1 billion 400 million plus) and Russia’s population (150 million plus) had been jabbed. On March 10 and 22 Chinese Jets landed in Manila to deliver 800,000 plus Sinovac jabs for free (with no condition attached). Italy’s action to stop delivering jabs to other states created complications. The poor nations implored the west (US, UK, EU) to at least let them make vaccines in their factories so their people might live. Because they’re poor, they humiliatingly begged on their hands and knees the US, UK, EU drug companies not to charge them for making the vaccines (patent laws) and not to increase the price per vial royalties for every vaccine sold. The US, UK, and EU said no. They explained: Capitalism lives only if there is an incentive to spend billions of dollars for laboratories, for research, expensive chemicals, and highly paid scientists. One will try to risk billions of research money for new products/inventions, medicines if he is rewarded for his efforts. The best reward is money from the sale of the product (vaccine), and from the royalties and patents when it allows other companies to make and sell its vaccine. The poor, suffering, sick, dying, states crushed by the weight of Covid-19 cried “I can’t breathe”. The answer “wait” greed and kindness? These poor nations are lined outside the warehouse of US, UK, and EU, waiting, hoping that those who have will remember and throw them the CRUMBS, SCRAP excess, surplus, unused vaccines.

The USSR-China donations of vaccines to the poor nations while jabbing Russians and Chinese was a big political pogi point. WHY? Because they immediately shared little they had with the world with no string attached. Democracy gives great importance to individual human rights as if the state is made for the good of each person. Socialism gives priority to the well-being of all so that individual rights must give away, for the good of all the state made for everyone. The west gave more importance and priority to the profits of western drug companies than the lives, health and safety of the poor, helpless, sick and dying. It is sad and funny that the west with its deep spiritual values of love, sharing, and caring acted this way. China and Russia are atheist states meaning they don’t have religion. Yet this March 2021 they embraced and shared at once with the sick, needy, and dying what they had. The west forgot the parable of the Good Samaritan. One world, 8 billion people, yet the richest, smartest, strongest states seem to be saying “I am for me! Am I my brother’s keeper? Is the Beatles 50 years ago sang “I don’t care what they say I won’t live in a world without love” right on.