Vaccinating people is the only winning move in a game of chess

The US has shown the world that vaccinating people is the only solution to the current pandemic. Bombarded by statistics of deaths and infections the common man is desperate to get vaccinated. But the irony is that he is unable to find a slot for getting the vaccine. The moment the stock reaches a vaccination site, it takes only a couple of hours to get over. Despite having two major manufacturers in the country, the Serum Institute and Bharat Biotech, it is surprising that the country is running low on supplies 

It was November 2019 when the first case of Corona was reported in the city of Wuhan. Ever since the focus of the world has changed from thriving to surviving. Schools and offices are lying vacant while shopping malls and cinema halls have no visitors. In such a dire situation, big pharma has come to the rescue of mankind. Surely it has played the role of a superhero.

The pharma companies have played their role and now its upto the government to ensure that people get vaccinated. People want to feel the cooling and soothing effect of the alcohol swab before getting the jab. Vaccinating people across the planet is a challenging task. But it seems the government in India is busy playing a game of chess.

Confused Students are not sure of their next move

Students planning to leave India for their studies at US universities are in a conundrum. They are not sure whether to move in a straight line like a Rook or diagonally like a Bishop. The US has still not recognized Covishield that’s approved by WHO. On the other hand, Covaxin developed by Bharat Biotech is still waiting to get approved by WHO. However, with 2 crore Indians getting vaccinated with Covaxin the world has started taking note of it. Bharat Biotech is expecting a formal WHO approval of Covaxin by July-Aug. Meanwhile, it has joined hands with its US partner Ocugen to cover the US and the Canadian market.

The US is moving like a bishop in the game of chess. Instead of moving in a straight line, it is moving diagonally. It is vaccinating its people with jabs manufactured by Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson. But when it comes to recognising vaccines of other countries, it has refused to do so.  The pharma lobby is very strong in the US and the government is trying to protect the interest of its domestic industry. As a result, it has checkmated vaccines made by other countries like UK’s Astra-Zeneca’s Russia’s SputnikV, India’s Covishield.

The US is more concerned about vaccinating its people

Biden administration on 5th Feb implemented a law dating from the 1950s called the Defence Production Act (DPA). The Act ensures that the American pharma companies don’t run short on raw materials needed to make vaccines. As a result, American companies making raw materials couldn’t export them to other countries like Europe and India. 

In absence of raw materials, the Serum Insitute of India was forced to cut short its production. This led to a shortage of vaccines. The DPA act used by the US govt was like a move by a knight on the chessboard – two steps ahead and one sideways. The Indian govt had to request a special waiver.

Vaccinating the world rather than its people

It was the 28th of January when the PM of India addressed a virtual meeting of the World Economic Forum.  During the address, the PM promised to make Indian-made vaccines available to the world. With the backing of the world’s largest manufacturer, the Serum Institute of India he knew he was making the right move. 

The PM’s commitment to supply vaccines to the world came as relief news for the poor countries. India started sending vaccines to countries like Maldives, Bhutan, Seychelles, Mauritius, and Sri Lanka. It also promised to contribute to the United Nations Covax program. Covax is a UN initiative to supply vaccines to poor countries. As a result, there was a lesser number of doses for vaccinating people in India. The second wave-exposed the poor planning of the government in vaccinating its people.

The Health Ministry was caught off guard

Dr. Harshvardhan, the health minister, and his team of bureaucrats failed to see a second wave coming. They failed to order the vaccines in the right quantity to Serum Insitute and Bharat Biotech. When the second wave came and people started falling sick, the ministry realised that it had goofed up. People who had lost their loved ones vented out their anger against the government. Meanwhile seeing an opportunity the opposition jumped in the fray and started blaming the government for its inept handling of the situation. 

The hospitals were running out of bed as well as oxygen. Also, there was a shortage of medicines and health workers. On the other hand, the crematoriums were witnessing huge queues. The common man was feeling helpless. He realised he was just a pawn in a game of chess. A game being played between the ruling parties and the opposition. 

The health minister made an aggressive move by attacking the opposition. Acting in a condescending manner he rubbished some very important suggestions made by the former PM Mr. Manmohan Singh. His statements like India is well prepared to handle the second wave didn’t go down well with the people across the country.

The sneak attack by Opposition

The CM’s of Indian states ruled by opposition parties are always on the lookout for ways to run down the government. The people’s ire against the government over covid mismanagement was a golden opportunity for them.  Arvind Kejriwal, the Delhi CM to Udhav Thackeray, the Maharashtra CM  made the right moves highlighting the shortage of oxygen vaccine supply. 

The ruling party was caught on the wrong foot. The opposition parties were successful in checkmating the central government. But the ruling party was not willing to surrender. They checkmated the opposition by putting the entire blame of poor health infrastructure and their lack of preparedness on the state govt.

Vaccinating people should be the Centre’s priority: SC

Seeing people gasping for oxygen the Supreme court took the central govt to task and directed it to lay down a clear plan for vaccinating people. It has blamed the central government for the shortage of vaccines. Also, once it had allowed the 18-44 group to be vaccinated it should have ensured the availability of vaccines.

Multinationals like Pfizer and Moderna have refused to entertain the state government’s request for vaccines. As a result, state governments have been left in a lurch. Left with no other option the Centre is now negotiating directly with the pharma companies to launch their vaccines.

The common man: Stuck like a pawn

In states like UP, the common man was left at the mercy of God. People were lining up outside hospitals to save their loved ones. On the other hand, hospitals were refusing admission as they were running short on beds, ICU ventilators, and oxygen supply. As people were left with no other option they vented out their anger on social media. To their shock and dismay, they found themselves on the radar of UP police. The authorities had instructed the police to register FIR against anybody tarnishing the image of the government.

People were aghast to see pictures of dead bodies floating in a river flowing from UP to Bihar. Meanwhile, the game of chess started between the two-state governments with each trying to pass the buck on the other.

The plight of the people losing their loved ones to covid and unable to give them a decent cremation or burial shook the conscience of the nation. If only the King could have protected its pawns, India would have emerged as a winner. And the PM would have earned the title of a Grandmaster. 

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