Daily Archives: May 9, 2021

The federal Liberals and Conservatives were both evasive when asked if Canadians abroad who haveaccess to a COVID-19 vaccine should get a shot, but otherfederal leadersand health experts encourage such action if peopleget the opportunity.

CBC News posed the question to four federal parties and health experts:Should Canadians who are snowbirds, or who are out of the country for businessor otherreasons, take advantageof vaccines that may be available there?

Cole Davidson, a spokesman for federal Liberal Health Minister Patty Hadju, would not answer the question directly, saying only that they"encourage everyone to get vaccinated when it's their turn, but we've been clear: now is not the time to travel."

Conservative Leader Erin O'Toolewas similarly coy about whether Canadians should be getting inoculations outside of the country. Heinstead slammedPrime Minister Justin Trudeau's governmentfor being "slow and incompetent when it comes to securing vaccines for Canadians."

In a statement to CBC News, O'Toolereferred to the recent agreement in which North Dakota would administer shots to Manitoba truck drivers, teachers and other school employees,a deal he said "underscores the complete failure of the Trudeau government."

WATCH |Manitoba premierannouncescross-border plan for COVID-19 vaccinations:

Currently around 35 per cent of the Canadian population has been vaccinated with at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

On Thursday,Maj.-Gen. Dany Fortin, the military commander leading vaccine logistics at the Public Health Agency of Canada, said that with future deliveries of Pfizer-BioNTech,AstraZeneca-Oxford, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson, there should be more than enough supply on hand for everyone 12 and older to get one shotby the nation's birthday.

Still, the interval between second shots could be months. And withdemand declining in the U.S., some Canadians are flying there toget their shots, Reuters reported. Some states do notrequire residency proof to get a COVID-19 vaccination, making it easier for Canadians to acquire a shot there.

Meanwhile, just this week, Ontario Premier Doug Ford approached the governor of Michigan about the possibility of having essential workers who cross the border from Canada vaccinated against COVID-19 stateside.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, whileaccusingthe government of failing to secure enough vaccines, said in a statement that "Canadians should get the vaccine when they can access it, wherever they are in the world."

Green PartyLeader Annamie Paul said in a statement that Canadians shouldn't be travelling for any non-essential reason, which includes to get vaccinated abroad.

"However, if someone is out of Canada is for an essential reason, or is currently resident in another country in which they are eligible to be vaccinated, then they should get vaccinated," she said.

Dr. Zain Chagla, an infectious diseases physician at St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton and an associate professor at McMaster University, said if someone could get a vaccine abroad and lower the risk to every Canadian, then so be it.

Chagla said he knows stories of dual citizensgetting their first Pfizer shot in Canada and driving to the U.S. for their second shot, and then returning to Canada.

"People with needs can do it. But at the end of the day, who cares. People are getting vaccinated. I would rather have more fully vaccinated people here in Canada than not," he said.

"There's one less citizen in Canada that needs access to a vaccine and more that can be put into vulnerable communities that don't have."

Dr. Susy Hota, medical director for infection prevention and control at University Health Network in Toronto, said she too is fine with someone receiving a COVID-19 vaccination abroad, despite "all kinds of messiness" with the practice.

"There's queue jumping, there's the inequities ... and I wish they didn't exist," she said.

"Ido believe that purely from that perspective of wanting to protect as many people as possible. I don't have a problem with it."

Timothy Caulfield, Canada Research Chair in health law and policy at the University of Alberta, said as long as peopleare following the public health rules and queues in those jurisdictions, "my view is a vaccine in the arm is always a good thing."

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Should Canadians get vaccinated abroad? Liberals, Tories skirt the issue but health experts encourage it - CBC.ca

Hobart alderman Simon Behrakis has been ordered to apologise to the council and Lord Mayor Anna Reynoldsafter a code of conduct investigation found he failed to show respect and brought the council into disrepute.

Mr Behrakis may soon become one of Tasmania's newest members of parliament, with a second Liberal seat in the Hobart-based electorate of Clark likely when preferences are distributed next Tuesday,which would be taken up by either him or fellowLiberal Madeleine Ogilvie.

Last November, MsReynolds lodged a comprehensive complaint over media releases and Facebook posts made by MrBehrakis between May and September.

Ms Reynolds alleged that the posts were designed to damage her professional reputation.

The Code of Conduct report has now been sent back to the council, with the panel partially upholding the complaint.

ABC News: David Hudspeth

In it, the panel determined that a media release published by MrBehrakis in May last year, titled 'Anna Reynolds pulling 'favours for mates' on Mac Point?'implied wrongdoing by using the phrase 'favours for mates' in a political context.

It said MrBehrakis was unable to give a good reason for using the phrase.

The panel found that its use was unfair, offensive and embarrassing to MsReynolds, and potentially undermined the decisions of the council and brought it into disrepute.

"Alderman Behrakis failed to show respect when expressing his personal views," the panel's report said.

Mr Behrakis was found to have failed to show respect and inaccurately represented a council decision in a Facebook post about the council's process for hiring a new general manager in October last year.

A post about North Hobart parking from late September was also found to be in breach of the code by selectively quoting MsReynolds, resulting in her being treated unfairly and causing her offence and embarrassment.

The panel dismissed a complaint that images of MsReynolds altered by MrBehrakis were in breach of the Code of Conduct.

The panel concluded that discourse between political opponents may be strongly worded, but publishing misleading material was not acceptable.

"What the panel does not find acceptable is the publication of false and misleading material, or the selective quotation or manipulation of words, or the misrepresentation of events, which may prove damaging to other elected members or to the council," the report said.

It said failing to monitor a Facebook page because it would be time-consuming was not a reasonable defence.

In the lead-up to the Tasmanian election, ABC Hobart visual journalist Luke Bowden went behind the scenes with the major party leaders.

The panel has cautioned MrBehrakis and ordered him to apologise to MsReynolds for causing her offence and embarrassment, and to the council for undermining its decisions and bringing it into disrepute.

Ms Reynolds said she decided to submit the Code of Conduct complaint after exhausting all other available options, and welcomed the outcome of the panel.

"I don't shy away from robust debate focused on policy, but basic respect is essential and personal attacks are never OK.

"The community expects us to maintain standards of civility and call out unacceptable behaviour when we see it this is what I did," she said.

"The panel's decision confirms my own opinion that a number of Alderman Behrakis's posts crossed the line of what is acceptable as they were misleading, untruthful and encouraged people to make abusive comments.

"My experience as the target of abusive comments is, unfortunately, not unique. It's an experience shared by almost every woman, right across the political spectrum.

"Unless we can change that unless we can create spaces where everyone is able to share their opinion without being subject to bullying or harassment politics will never attract the diversity of representation it so badly needs."

In a statement MrBehrakis said the determination is "disappointing, yet unsurprising".

He warned that the panel's response sets a "dangerous precedence for political discourse".

Mr Behrakis said he would not be appealing the decision.

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Liberal candidate Simon Behrakis forced to apologise over failing to 'show respect' - ABC News

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Regulating the social media platforms of Canadians should never have been on the table

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If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear. When George Orwell wrote those words in the original preface to Animal Farm in the 1940s, the internet did not yet exist. It still didnt years later when Orwell introduced us to the Thought Police and warned of Big Brother watching in 1984.

But his powerful messages continue to resonate decades later because corrupt and authoritarian regimes have proven his writing was sadly never dystopian fantasy. And in the internet age, there are even more opportunities for regimes to monitor and control information, and quiet the voices of the people.

In a democratic society, abuses of power and authority can and should be freely called out without fear of retribution. Social media has rapidly become the key platform for this purpose, from cellphone videos of interactions with police to tweets from inside mass protests. Regulating social media, therefore, directly jeopardizes our ability to continue exercising this critical democratic freedom of expression.

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Orwell's powerful messages continue to resonate decades later

But in the midst of a pandemic, while Canadians are stuck at home and relying on social media for information, connectivity and entertainment more than ever before, the Liberal government is quietly moving to radically change how Canadians can use social media.

Internet advocates, civil liberties lawyers and academics have been highlighting the problems with last-minute Liberal changes to Bill C-10, and the Conservative opposition is demanding action. But the Trudeau governments move raises a fundamental question for us to consider in the internet age. It is the same question that Orwells works left us asking. What kind of a society do we want to live in?

Is it a society where our connectivity through social media leads to greater transparency and accountability? Or are Canadians prepared to have their liberty moderated by the CRTC?

The problem with these questions is not where does your freedom start, but where does it end? The Liberals Bill C-10 is a very slippery slope. Even knowing this type of regulation could take place sends a chill on the free speech rights of Canadians.

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After becoming accustomed to using the internet and social media freely, how could the Trudeau government possibly believe that Canadians are prepared to now have that freedom curtailed through moderation by a government agency? Should a bureaucrat be monitoring your neighbourhood Facebook group or moderating your comments on news stories?

Bill C-10 leaves the door open for a massive abuse of power and infringement on the rights of Canadians. Canadas Conservatives are working hard to stop it and will oppose this bill vigorously.

Regulating the social media platforms of Canadians should never have been on the table and was not at the start of Bill C-10. The original version of the bill had some flaws, but it explicitly exempted everyday Canadian users of social media from regulation. The Liberals changed their mind and quietly opened the door to limiting the freedom of expression online by removing the exemption. Canadians deserve to know why.

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Should a bureaucrat be monitoring your neighbourhood Facebook group?

The internet has become a critical tool for everyday citizens to hold governments to account and have their voices heard. It is leading to social change, allowing the marginalized to have a stronger voice, and has become a great equalizer for citizens without the special access or insider privileges to get through to this Liberal government. That kind of power scares some governments, but it is a part of modern democracy and must be protected.

Without social media users, we might never have seen the Arab Spring in Tahrir Square. We might not have witnessed China cracking down on student protesters in Hong Kong, or be able to follow Russian dissidents as they protest crackdowns on their media and free speech rights. Social media is how this generation is telling the story of democracy. It is to this generation what Radio Free Europe was to the Cold War. That freedom must be preserved.

Canadas Conservatives have asked for a Charter review of Bill C-10 given this major change. The Liberals denied our request and appear ready to make deals with other parties to drive it through. Conservatives support trying to level the playing field between large foreign streaming services and Canadian broadcasters, but not at the cost of Canadians fundamental rights and freedoms.

Erin OToole is the Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada and the Leader of the Official Opposition.

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Erin O'Toole: The Liberals' internet regulation bill opens the door to a massive abuse of power - National Post

Police Scotland have said they are treating the behaviour of a Liberal Party candidate and supporters who confronted the Scottish Justice Secretary at an election count as a hate incident.

Humza Yousaf said Liberal Party candidate Derek Jackson and supporters - who arrived at the Glasgow count on Friday wearing black suits, yellow stars and armbands - made a "beeline" for him and asked him about "child rape victims in Pakistan", as well as the Scottish Government's Hate Crime Bill.

Mr Jackson and his five backers were escorted from the building by police.

Police Superintendent Gerry Corrigan said: "We did not receive a complaint of criminality. However, officers carried out a thorough investigation into the behaviour of six people who were escorted from the Emirates Arena, Glasgow, on Friday May 7.

"No crime was established but Police Scotland will record this as a hate incident.

"This is any incident which is perceived by someone to be motivated by malice or ill-will towards a particular group, but which does not amount to criminal offence."

READ MORE:Scottish election: Final Glasgow results and party totals

Mr Jackson won just 102 votes in the election.

Returning officer Annemarie O'Donnell revoked Mr Jackson's pass for the election count after becoming concerned over his behaviour and he and his supporters were escorted from the Emirates Arena by police and security staff.

Mr Jackson, who is also known as Derek Jackson, stood for the Liberal Party - a small group unconnected to the Liberal Democrats.

After confronting Mr Yousaf, he was suspended from the party and will not be allowed to re-join.

His actions "in no way whatsoever resonate with any of the party's values", said party spokesman Kayed Al-Haddad.

Mr Al-Haddad said: "He was vetted by the party via phone call, not face-to-face due to the pandemic. Everything seemed fine. But basically he has hijacked the party to further his own ends.

"We have come to realise he has actually done similar things in the past. He won't be allowed back in."

READ MORE:Covid Scotland: How many fines have been handed out by police

Speaking to reporters after the incident, Mr Yousaf said: "What I'm always struck by is voices of good always outweigh the voices of hatred.

"If anyone witnessed that exchange there - when they were directing questions at me about Pakistan, obviously because of my colour of skin - I'm not from Pakistan, my home is in Scotland.

"I was delighted to be joinedby colleagues right across the political parties, from Labour and other parties, standing in unity with me.

"So I'm pleased their voices were drowned out."

More here:

Liberal Party: behaviour of candidate treated as hate incident - Glasgow Times

Jim Bronskill, The Canadian Press Published Tuesday, May 4, 2021 5:36AM EDT Last Updated Tuesday, May 4, 2021 3:04PM EDT

OTTAWA - The Liberal government's firearms legislation is an offensively hollow bill that should be completely revamped, say family members and colleagues of those who died in tragic shooting sprees at Montreal's Dawson College and Concordia University.

In a letter sent to Liberal MPs, they add their voices to a chorus of opponents who say federal Bill C-21 will not rid Canada of the scourge of deadly shootings.

We will not mince our words. Bill C-21 is an insult to all victims of gun violence, the letter says.

It looks like it was designed by public relations consultants, rather than by public safety experts. It looks like its sole purpose is to provide tough-sounding sound bites that belie the total lack of substance behind the 'measures' they purportedly describe.

The bill tabled in February proposes a buyback of many recently banned firearms the government considers assault-style weapons, but owners would be allowed to keep them under strict conditions, including registration and secure storage of the guns.

The letter says this would allow tens of thousands of fully functional killing machines to remain in private hands.

The legislation would also enable municipalities to ban handguns through bylaws restricting their possession, storage and transportation - a plan the letter says will be ineffective.

The absence of any concrete proposals to stem the proliferation of handguns cements this government's attempt to strengthen gun control as a resounding failure.

The families, survivors and witnesses who signed the letter say the legislation also falls short on efforts to remove guns from the hands of people who shouldn't have them, deter smuggling and trafficking of firearms, and crack down on the modification of magazines to hold as many as 100 bullets.

Mary-Liz Power, a spokeswoman for Public Safety Minister Bill Blair, defended the bill, saying it would build on existing measures to keep Canadians safe.

We listen to the victims, families and communities impacted by gun violence as we seek to end it in Canada, she said. We would like to thank advocates, families and friends for their dedication and their commitment to a future free from gun violence.

In 1992, four Concordia professors were gunned down by a colleague and a secretary was injured.

Fifteen years ago this September at Dawson College, a gunman killed 18-year-old Anastasia De Sousa and wounded 19 others.

Four families at Concordia and one at Dawson were torn apart. Many survivors are still struggling with their physical and psychological injuries, says the letter to Liberal MPs.

We are inspired by other victims who also publicly expressed their anger at Bill C-21 and we support their call for its complete overhaul.

Several relatives of women killed in the 1989 Ecole Polytechnique massacre in Montreal, as well as victims and families left reeling by a 2018 shooting in Toronto, have also panned the federal gun legislation.

The federal Conservatives and some firearms rights advocates have criticized the bill over concerns it targets responsible gun owners, not criminals.

The letter from the Dawson College and Concordia families accuses the Liberals of betraying promises to prevent firearm-related violence, saying it is one thing to oppose gun control and to legislate accordingly. It is quite another to get elected on the promise to strengthen gun control and then capitulate to the gun lobby with an offensively hollow bill.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 4, 2021.

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Families call LIberal gun control bill insult to all victims of gun violence - CP24 Toronto's Breaking News

POLICEScotland have said they are treating the behaviour of a Liberal Party candidate and supporters who confronted the Scottish Justice Secretary at an election count as a hate incident.

Humza Yousaf said Liberal Party candidate Derek Jackson and supporters who arrived at the Glasgow count on Friday wearing black suits, yellow stars and armbands made a beeline for him and asked him about child rape victims in Pakistan as well as the Scottish Governments Hate Crime Bill.

Jackson and his five backers were escorted from the building by police.

Police Superintendent Gerry Corrigan said: We did not receive a complaint of criminality, however officers carried out a thorough investigation into the behaviour of six people who were escorted from the Emirates Arena, Glasgow, on Friday 7 May.

No crime was established but Police Scotland will record this as a hate incident. This is any incident which is perceived by someone to be motivated by malice or ill-will towards a particular group, but which does not amount to a criminal offence.

READ MORE:Humza Yousaf accosted at election vote count 'because of colour of his skin'

Yousaf said yesterday: What Im always struck by is voices of good always outweigh the voices of hatred.

If anyone witnessed that exchange there when they were directing questions at me about Pakistan, obviously because of my colour of skin, Im not from Pakistan, my home is in Scotland.

I was delighted to be joined my colleagues right across the political parties, fromLabourand other parties, standing in unity with me.

So Im pleased their voices were drowned out.

You had six muppets here and then you very quickly had 25 people on the other side telling them where to go. That to me is the best of Scotland really.

Read more from the original source:

Police treating Liberal Party candidate's interaction with Humza Yousaf as hate incident - The National

Get ready to see Meghan McCain out and about in the coming months for The Viewco-host, the days of staying in are about to be a thing of the past. On this mornings episode of the daytime talk show, McCain proclaimed that shes ready for a hot vaxx spring and summer after getting two doses of the Moderna vaccine.

During a conversation about liberal reluctance to ease out of lockdown, McCain said shes ready to use her freedom this summer and choose to travel, see friends and family, and get back to life as normal. And while shes going to party like its 2019, McCain blasted Americans who arent ready to take off their masks just yet.

Republicans are told trust the science, trust the science about things like climate change all the time, McCain said. But now liberals arent doing it when it comes to the Covid vaccine. And according to McCain, one big culprit is the nations top infectious disease expert, Dr. Fauci. Hes said that he wouldnt travel or eat at restaurants despite the fact that he has been fully vaccinated, McCain said. And the CDC guidance says that it is safe for vaccinated people that are taking precautions to eat in restaurants and to travel.

McCain blamed intellectual spaghetti for the nations split on mask wearing, pointing to the knee-jerk reaction to anything former president Donald Trump did while in office. Because Trump insisted the world should be open, the other side is now embracing policies that arent science or evidence based, McCain suggested.

If people want to live in their homes for forever and not go out and you want to wear a mask forever, thats totally fine, she said. I will be living my life and going back to normal, and that is my choice and the greatest freedom of the country that we have.

McCains comments come after Dr. Fauci told Business Insider last month that he would not go into an indoor, crowded place where people are not wearing masks, even though hes vaccinated. The doctor pointed to the interesting crossroads in the U.S., where people are getting vaccinated, but new cases are still popping up across the nation. Dr. Fauci urged Americans to be patient before jumping back to life as it used to be. Its kind of a race between the vaccine and the possibility that therell be another surge, he said.

The Viewairs weekdays at 11/10c on ABC. Watch the full segment on Americans easing out of lockdown in the video above.

Where to watchThe View

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Meghan McCain Slams Mask-Wearing Liberals On 'The View,' Plans to Have "Hot Vaxx Spring" - Decider

Liberal Party heavyweight Brian Loughnane has been brought in to review Michael OBriens office amid concerns about the relationship between the Opposition Leaders staff and the wider party.

Mr OBrien asked Mr Loughnane, a former Liberal Party federal director, to assess his office after MPs complained that it was not functioning effectively 18 months out from the election.

Former Liberal Party director Brian Loughnane. Credit:Louise Kennerley

The Opposition Leader has been in the role since 2018 when he took over from Matthew Guy after the Andrews governments landslide election victory. In March, Mr OBrien survived an attempted leadership challenge from Gembrook MP Brad Battin.

Following the challenge, Mr OBrien and his allies contacted colleagues to discuss any concerns that prompted the unrest. Seven MPs confirmed to The Age that they raised internal problems stemming from OBriens office, citing poor communication and difficulties when trying to get meetings for stakeholders and would-be donors.

Its Stalinesque, you cant get in, one backbencher told The Age.

The MPs, who spoke to The Age on the condition of anonymity, also raised concerns about Mr OBriens chief-of-staff Brett Hogan who they said was working in isolation from the wider party. Mr OBrien did not respond directly to questions about Mr Hogan.

Michael OBrien took over from Matthew Guy after the 2018 election. Credit:The Age

One member of shadow cabinet welcomed the review saying it was a sign Mr OBrien wanted to sharpen his message and build a better team ahead of next years state election. Michael needs good people around him to support him. Some of his staff have done awesome jobs but there are many people who are constantly letting him down.

This shows he isnt willing to wait for a post-election review to find out what didnt work.

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Liberal heavyweight asked to review Opposition Leaders office - The Age

Tasmanian Liberal leader Peter Gutwein has faced the media for the first time since Saturday's state election, saying he is concerned that "two different points of view are being played out publicly" in relation to Braddon candidate Adam Brooks.

Speaking in Launceston, Mr Gutweinreiteratedthat the former minister hademphatically denied the claims.

Mr Brooks has flagged legal action against organisations and individuals after the ABC reported allegations by two women who said he allegedly misled them after meeting them through dating apps.

Both women have alleged he pretended he was a Melbourne-based engineer named Terry, not former Tasmanian mining minister Adam Brooks.

The women said they dated Mr Brooks for months believing he was someone else with each providing photos and screenshots of purported conversations had during their time together.

Supplied

Mr Brooks has vehemently denied the dating profiles are his, describing the allegations against him as "deliberate attempts to misrepresent, fabricate and distort certain aspects of my personal life in a sustained attempt to politically damage me during and after this [state election] campaign".

Victoria's transport department has referred an allegation Mr Brooks used a fake driver's licence to Tasmania Police, which has confirmed it will assist Victorian authorities if needed.

Supplied

Asked about the allegations on Wednesday, Mr Gutwein said that, given the legal action and referral to Tasmania Police, he was limited in what he could say.

He said the process needed to take its course.

"When you've got two different points of view that are being played out publicly, obviously it's concerning," Mr Gutwein said.

"Mr Brooks is now looking to take legal action, and in terms of other matters there's been a referral to Tas Police. So it's really not appropriate that I say too much more at this stage.

"Mr Brooks has maintained his position through this, he's emphatically denied the claims that have been made."

Mr Brooks stood as a Liberal candidate in the north-west seat of Braddon, and is still in the race to win a seat, with final results yet to be determined.

With the make-up of Tasmania's Parliament unable to be determined until at least next Tuesday, Mr Gutwein said the wait was frustrating.

ABC News: Luke Bowden

He has said he will resign as premier if the Liberal Party does not secure a majority of 13 seats.

To reach that target, the party will have to wina second seat in the Hobart-based electorate of Clark, where itlooks likely, but not certain, to get over the line.

"The Liberal Party's had a very, very strong result in this election and has comprehensively won the popular vote," Mr Gutwein said.

"We'll now need to wait until the final counting occurs in Clark, but that appears to be strengthening, and I'm confident that we will achieve the 13 seats that we need for majority."

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Peter Gutwein describes allegations against Liberal candidate Adam Brooks as 'differing points of view' - ABC News

It has taken more than six months for the US and European Union to relax their stand on patents for anti-Covid vaccines. But all developed countries are still not on the same page on the issue. The EU which is negotiating a deal with Pfizer to lock in 1.8 billion doses has said that it is ready for a pragmatic discussion on the Biden administrations plea for intellectual property rights flexibility on Covid vaccines. However, EU Commissioner Ursula von der Leyen has expressed reservations about the US proposal and has found support from Germany, the blocs de facto leader. The limiting factor in vaccine manufacturing is production capacity and high quality standards, not patents, a spokesperson for German Chancellor Angela Merkel said. The EU has been far more liberal in exporting vaccines compared to the US and UK, which cornered a large number of doses. But the tough stance of some of its members on IPR, while India and several other countries are confronted with vaccine shortages amidst a staggering rise in caseloads, runs counter to the blocs position during the early days of the crisis last year. Both von der Leyen and Merkel had endorsed the idea of vaccine as a public good then.

In October last year, India and South Africa suggested relaxing the TRIPS regime to enable Third World countries to scale up production of vaccines. The proposal received the support of at least 120 countries but was blocked by the US, UK and the EU which argued that the ban would stifle innovation changes to international IPR rules require unanimous agreement. The US Trade Departments statement, earlier this week, calling for extraordinary measures to deal with extraordinary circumstances is a belated but welcome attempt at course correction. The administration believes strongly in intellectual property protections, but in service of ending this pandemic, supports the waiver of those protections for Covid-19 vaccines, it said.

Articles IX.3 and IX.4 of the WTO agreement mention exceptional circumstances when patents can be waived. The fact that such circumstances have not been delineated should not stand in the way of invoking these clauses when the world is confronted with its worst health crisis in a century. Relaxing IPR rules could allow companies in developing countries to manufacture vaccines without fear of lawsuits from firms that developed them. Of course, such measures will not ipso facto lead to an increase in production capacities. Concerns about counterfeit vaccines also deserve serious attention. However, given the warning of epidemiologists that mutants will continue to develop as long as the virus circulates in densely-populated countries most of them in the developed world the salience of allowing multiple players to start vaccine production under rigorous regulatory monitoring cannot be overstated. When the EU discusses the Biden proposal over the weekend, its members will surely keep the Covid adage, no one is safe till everyone is safe, in mind. That should nudge them to open more spaces for vaccine collaboration.

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Patently fair - The Indian Express