The Guardian view on Covid-19 vaccine distribution: fairer is also wiser | Editorial

Wealthy countries must not corner the supply. Better support for the Covax scheme is essential

As the pandemic took hold around the world, one image came to capture the wildly differing experiences of a common crisis: We are in the same storm, but we are not all in the same boat."

This is equally applicable to our escape from the storm. The speed with which vaccines have been developed is incredible; the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine is due to be used in the UK within days. But reaching the billions who need them worldwide may be even more challenging. It will depend not only on the technical capacity to produce and deliver doses, but on the behaviour of better-off nations. In the 2009 swine flu pandemic, high-income countries bought up all vaccine stocks. The evidence suggests that this time, too, they are snatching up supplies at a rate which could leave poorer countries waiting for years.