Trump's 'American First' on Vaccinations Sparks Concerns Over Global Supply Disruptions (Comprehensive)

Vaccine Aid Promised to Vaccine Immunity Alliance Possible Only in Q2 Next Year
Pfizer and Moderna Refuse to Attend Self-Congratulatory Vaccine Meeting
UK Starts Vaccinations from 8th... Queen and Consort Also Vaccinated as Elderly

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondents Baek Jong-min and Lee Hyun-woo] U.S. President Donald Trump, ahead of the approval of the COVID-19 vaccine, has once again emphasized "America First," causing the international community's vaccine distribution to be delayed until the second quarter of next year. President Trump is also planning to hold a "vaccine summit" to promote vaccine development as one of his major achievements, but it is reported that the vaccine developers Pfizer and Moderna, whose vaccines are about to be released, have refused to attend the meeting.

According to foreign media such as Fox News and NBC on the 7th (local time), President Trump is expected to sign an executive order on the 8th prioritizing Americans to receive the COVID-19 vaccine before providing support to overseas countries. This means that COVID-19 vaccines produced in the U.S. will be distributed and administered to Americans first, and only then supplied overseas.

NBC cited a senior government official saying, "The executive order includes provisions that we will ensure safety first and meet the demand of Americans before supplying vaccines to other countries." Another official mentioned, "The supply of vaccines overseas will depend on demand and supply, but it is expected to be possible only in the second quarter of next year." This reflects that President Trump's America First foreign policy is also reflected in vaccine policy. NBC evaluated, "President Trump issued this stance after focusing on overturning the election results post-election while COVID-19 infections were rapidly spreading."

Accordingly, the existing vaccine support for 92 low-income countries under the agreement between the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization (GAVI) is expected to be possible only after the second quarter of next year. Fox News reported that the executive order is also expected to include guidelines for USAID and the Export-Import Bank's overseas vaccine distribution and development support. Concerns are rising that the lack of U.S. global leadership and domestic selfishness amid the COVID-19 situation will once again become an international controversy.

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

President Trump is also scheduled to hold a vaccine summit attended by vaccine developers and distribution-related companies after signing the executive order on the 8th. According to the pharmaceutical media Stat News, President Trump is holding this meeting to heavily promote vaccine development as his achievement. However, Pfizer and Moderna, the main players in vaccine development, reportedly declined the invitation to the vaccine summit. Stat News explained that this is interpreted as a concern that their vaccines might become embroiled in political controversy amid the White House's overt pressure on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for vaccine approval.

Political controversy over the vaccine has been growing since Politico, a U.S. political media outlet, reported that White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows summoned FDA Director Stephen Hahn to the White House on the 1st to pressure him to approve the vaccine quickly. President Trump also stirred controversy by emphasizing his achievement in vaccine development during an interview with Fox News the day before, saying, "I brought out a vaccine that people did not think they would have for the next five years." While vaccine controversy is at its peak in the U.S., the United Kingdom is set to begin full-scale Pfizer vaccine administration starting on the 8th.

The UK health authorities plan to use 800,000 doses for vaccination this week, designating 50 major hospitals as priority vaccination centers and prioritizing elderly residents in nursing homes and those aged 80 and above as the first recipients. Queen Elizabeth II, aged 94, and her husband Prince Philip, aged 99, have also been designated as priority recipients and will be vaccinated this week.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.