We are seven months into the COVID-19 pandemic and while we are beginning to understand the disease and its behavior much better, we are still far from a resolution and the “old normal”. Across the globe, over 100 institutions are working on a vaccine, and over 170 countries are collaborating with the World Health Organization (WHO) to develop a vaccine plan. The production and distribution of the vaccines will be slow to begin, and this plan proposes that those considered “highest risk” should be prioritized.
In this podcast, we are speaking with James Hughes, Assistant Professor and Researcher at St. Francis Xavier University, who proposes that a distribution strategy for the vaccine is a programming problem. A programming problem would suggest that to optimize the effects of the limited supply of vaccines, the program should consist of rules which prioritize those who have the highest opportunity to spread the disease. So, what are the key ethical considerations before we rush for a cure?
We are seven months into the COVID-19 pandemic and while we are beginning to understand the disease and its behavior much better, we are still far from a resolution and the “old normal”. Across the globe, over 100 institutions are working on a vaccine, and over 170 countries are collaborating with the World Health Organization (WHO) to develop a vaccine plan. The production and distribution of the vaccines will be slow to begin, and this plan proposes that those considered “highest risk” should be prioritized.
In this podcast, we are speaking with James Hughes, Assistant Professor and Researcher at St. Francis Xavier University, who proposes that a distribution strategy for the vaccine is a programming problem. A programming problem would suggest that to optimize the effects of the limited supply of vaccines, the program should consist of rules which prioritize those who have the highest opportunity to spread the disease. So, what are the key ethical considerations before we rush for a cure?