The Guardian: Public trust vital for Covid-19 vaccine programs, says WHO
“The WHO has urged European countries to prepare for vaccinations against Covid-19, stressing that community acceptance will be crucial to the success of the health programs. More than 200 Covid vaccines are under development, some of which have already completed phase 3 clinical trials with an efficacy rate of more than 90%…” (Davis, 12/3).

New York Times: China Poised to Be First to Distribute Virus Vaccine in Latin America, U.S. Official Says
“China, already competing for influence in this hemisphere through a multibillion-dollar network of investment and infrastructure deals, is likely to beat the United States in its own backyard with vaccine diplomacy, according to the military’s top commander for Central and South America…” (Rosenberg, 12/2).

NPR: Developed Countries Plan To Start Vaccination Soon. What About The Rest Of The World?
“At least three coronavirus vaccines have been deemed effective. Some Western countries will start vaccination as early as this month. But it’s unclear when less wealthy nations will get the vaccines…” (Doucleff, 12/3).

Thomson Reuters Foundation: Ensuring global COVID-19 vaccine access seen worth billions to rich nations
“Rich nations stand to lose hundreds of billions of dollars in economic output over the next five years if poorer countries do not get equal access to COVID-19 vaccines, a report said on Thursday as concerns grow about ‘vaccine nationalism.’ As the World Health Organization (WHO) seeks to plug funding gaps in its ACT Accelerator program for global COVID-19 treatments, researchers said their findings showed there was a financial — as well as a moral — case for ensuring equal access. ‘Governments are increasingly focusing on investments that can help their own economies to rebound,’ said Hassan Damluji, deputy director at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which commissioned the report by the Eurasia Group research firm…” (Elks, 12/3).

Additional coverage of issues surrounding coronavirus vaccine approval and distribution is available from Financial Times, The Hill, MedPage Today, NPR, Reuters (2), and Washington Post.