[글로벌 아이] Why World Leaders Get Vaccines First

Washington Correspondent Park Hyun-young

The controversy over whether the president and politicians receive the vaccine for the new coronavirus infection (Corona 19) first was a cut or an example, even when the United States began vaccination in December last year. Former President Donald Trump avoided vaccination, but President Joe Biden made the vaccine known via live broadcast. The reason was explained thus. “Show that people need to be prepared when it’s time to get the vaccine. There is no need to worry at all. ”

In the United States, where there is deep mistrust of vaccines, he led by example as a leader in alleviating public fear and triumphing in herd immunity. Before Biden’s public vaccination, only one in three Americans (34%) said they would like to receive the vaccine as soon as possible, but after launch, it rose to one in two (47%). (KFF Corona 19 Vaccine Monitor)

US President Biden receives the COVID-19 vaccine. [AFP=연합뉴스]

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a leader in vaccination rates, declared himself the first vaccinator in his country. “In order to set an example and recommend his vaccinations, I asked him to give them first.” On December 20, when Israel began vaccination, it was a time when public confidence in the efficacy and safety of the COVID-19 vaccine developed in a short period unprecedented in history was not high.

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu receives the COVID-19 vaccine. [로이터=연합뉴스]

Indonesian President Joko Widodo not only got vaccinated early, but also received a sinoback with a Chinese vaccine, catching two rabbits: public opinion and diplomacy with China. Singapore Prime Minister Li Xianlong announced the launch of the Pfizer vaccine for the first time in Asia through a public vaccination. Although the political background for the leaders’ first vaccines is different, the main reason is that vaccines are the only way to get people’s lives back to normal. It’s an effort to reduce skepticism about vaccines, even just a little, in order to get as many vaccines as possible in a short time.

Korea is also very skeptical. Opinions of ‘I’ll be right when the order arrives’ (45.8%) and ‘I’ll postpone and watch over’ (45.7%) are adjusted. (Announced on the 22nd of the Korea Institute of Social Opinion) As criticism spilled over the inability to secure a vaccine early, it was largely attributable to the government that spread fear, saying: “Possibility that a vaccine fail, as side effects. “When the AstraZeneca vaccine was approved, it included people older than 65 and then downgraded to less than 65 in five days, sowing mistrust.

The ruling party legislator’s statements, “Is it the subject of an experiment?” And “mocking and insulting the head of state” that the president received a vaccine, first caused the feeling of rejection of the vaccine. The measures are urgent. It seems like the moment when President Moon Jae-in said, “If vaccine anxiety becomes so high that an example is needed, I will not avoid it.”

Washington Correspondent Park Hyun-young