Researchers around the world are racing to develop a vaccine against COVID-19, with more than 170 potential vaccines in the works.

While some countries are manufacturers, others have made vaccine diplomacy as part of their strategy to be amongst the first to acquire the vaccine once it’s readily available.

Why it matters?

As manufacturing countries race to develop a vaccine against COVID-19, more and more countries are pledging billions to buy COVID-19 vaccines from vaccine makers.

Geneva-based Gavi vaccine alliance backed by World Health Organization (WHO) has created the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access (COVAX) facility to ensure fair global access to coronavirus vaccines with 172 countries already engaging with the facility.

WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the COVAX facility was critical to ending the COVID-19 pandemic and would not only pool risk for countries developing and buying vaccines, but also ensure prices are kept

That said, countries are still engaging in what is coined as “vaccine nationalism”, whereby certain countries get first-access to the vaccines based on their investments and political maneuverings.

First world countries such as the United States (US), United Kingdom (UK), Japan and Australia have all scored advance purchasing deals for COVID-19 vaccine which lead to a concern that other countries may be left behind in acquiring the vaccine once they are available.

Which countries are manufacturing the vaccine?

A vaccine typically takes years to develop, from testing to mass production. Scientists, however, hoped that an effective COVID-19 will be made available to the masses within 12 to 18 months.

To date, only one vaccine has been approved; Russia’s Sputnik V.

A photo shows vials during the production of

Formerly known as "Gam-COVID-Vac" and developed by Gemaleya Research Institute, the vaccine was approved by the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation on 11 August, before Phase 3 trials had even begun, and will be expected to commence its first mass deliveries in September 2020.

Despite safety concerns, Russia claims that more than 20 countries have requested over 1 billion doses of vaccine.

Other notable vaccine manufacturers in phase 3 trials include:

How are other countries acquiring the vaccine?

What about Malaysia?

Malaysians are more than prepared to receive a COVID-19 vaccine once its readily available.

An Ipsos survey conducted amongst 19,519 adults across 27 countries found that almost half of Malaysians (48%) believed that a vaccine will be available to them before the end of the year.

Almost half of Malaysians believed that a vaccine will be available to them before the end of the year – Ipsos
Majority of us (86%) also feel that a vaccine would be accessible to all despite socio-economic background.

That said, have we done enough to get first dibs on the vaccine?

Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein has had talks with US and China.

After a phone conversation between him and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, both countries have agreed to focus efforts on the manufacturing & distribution of COVID-19 vaccine.


Malaysia and China also agreed to actively carry out vaccine cooperation as well as establish "fast lane" and "green lane" at an early date.

Earlier, Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, had also discussed with his Chinese counterpart Wang Zhigang about Malaysia’s interest in securing early access to a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) declared that Malaysia along with ASEAN member countries is collaborating and supporting ASEAN’s external partners mainly China, Japan, the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, and Hong Kong, in COVID-19 vaccine development by sharing key clinical data and reports.