Arms within reach: Israel's vaccination lead

Economist Podcasts

The Economist

News & Politics, News

4.4 • 4.9K Ratings

🗓️ 4 January 2021

⏱️ 23 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Aggressive purchasing, solid logistics and a competitive health-care system have led to a world-beating rate of immunisation—but, as ever, politics is playing a role, too. Big oil had a terrible 2020, but the sector’s troubles pre-date the pandemic; we look at the supermajors’ varying approaches to an uncertain future. And how covid-19 is reshaping China’s clubbing scene.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Hello and welcome to the Intelligence on Economist Radio.
0:07.0	I'm your host, Jason Palmer. Every weekday we provide a fresh perspective on the events
0:13.0	shaping your world. The biggest oil and gas companies were having a hard time even
0:21.0	before the pandemic scrambled their fortunes. We take a look at the differing bets being
0:26.2	made on both sides of the Atlantic and how the industry is bracing for what's next.
0:32.2	And there's a burgeoning techno music scene in China, one that used to be propped up by international stars.
0:39.2	With fewer foreigners flowing in, local DJs are taking center stage and spreading the scene beyond the big cities.
0:47.2	First up though.
0:54.2	This is a pivotal moment in the campaign against coronavirus and in Britain today, the government is congratulating itself on the rollout of a second coronavirus vaccine.
1:09.2	Matt Hancock, the health secretary, told the BBC that the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine was our way out.
1:22.2	Inoculations should now speed up. Although Britain was the first country to authorize a vaccine, just 1.5% of the population has had it.
1:31.2	That's better than in America or less than a percent have. At current rates, it would take years for the whole population to be vaccinated.
1:39.2	And then there's Israel, which has already inoculated 13% of its population.
1:46.2	As the country passed a million doses administered, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the country was breaking all records.
1:53.2	But the backdrop to Israel's success is complicated. It's imposed a third national lockdown as case numbers have spiked.
2:07.2	And once again, there are preparations for an election. After the country's parliament, the Knesset was dissolved last month.
2:14.2	The vote in March will be the fourth in two years. And these aren't separate facets of Israeli life.
2:21.2	Mr. Netanyahu is pinning his continued political fortunes on a successful vaccination drive.
2:27.2	So I've visited a number of vaccination centers in Jerusalem over the last few days.
2:33.2	Anchal Feffer is our Israel correspondent.
2:36.2	Most of the time it seems very orderly, very efficient. People coming in most of them over 60.
2:44.2	Most of them already have an appointment. And within minutes they're ushered into a room where there are a number of cubicles.
	...

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