Supply chains create global benefits from improved vaccine accessibility

Ensuring a more equitable distribution of vaccines worldwide is an effective strategy to control global pandemics and support economic recovery. We analyze the socioeconomic effects - defined as health gains, lockdown-easing effect, and supply-chain rebuilding benefit - of a set of idealized COVID-19 vaccine distribution scenarios. We find that an equitable vaccine distribution across the world would increase global economic benefits by 11.7% ($950 billion per year), compared to a scenario focusing on vaccinating the entire population within vaccine-producing countries first and then distributing vaccines to non-vaccine-producing countries. With limited doses among low-income countries, prioritizing the elderly who are at high risk of dying, together with the key front-line workforce who are at high risk of exposure is projected to be economically beneficial (e.g., 0.9%similar to 3.4% annual GDP in India). Our results reveal how equitable distributions would cascade more protection of vaccines to people and ways to improve vaccine equity and accessibility globally through international collaboration.

Automated summary

Ensuring equitable distribution of vaccines globally is crucial for controlling global pandemics and supporting economic recovery. Our analysis shows that an equitable vaccine distribution can increase global economic benefits by 11.7% ($950 billion per year) compared to a scenario where vaccines are first given to vaccine-producing countries and then distributed to non-producing countries. Prioritizing high-risk groups and international collaboration can improve vaccine equity and accessibility globally, leading to better protection and economic growth.