View from the Vicarage

Vaccination Diplomacy

The speed at which scientists have developed effective vaccines in the past year and now the speed at which vaccinations are being rolled out across the UK has been impressive. The most vulnerable have been vaccinated first and as I write the numbers of new cases is falling rapidly. We are so thankful for this secure way out of this year long pandemic.

Many parts of Europe lag behind the UK in the delivery of vaccines. Parts of the developing world have no prospect of receiving vaccines in large enough numbers for several months–maybe a year. This inequality has been obvious but who is prepared to stand up and object.

Inequality is always a difficult subject especially when it affects ourselves and what we think we should have easy access to.

The Black Lives Matter campaign this past year has highlighted so many longstanding inequalities in society. Lack of educational opportunities, lack of access to well paid employment, even the treatment that those of colour receive in hospitals or is meted out to them by the police has been thrown into the arena. We all know we haven’t come out of this well. For too long those of colour have been expected to take second place. Now this inequality is being thrown into the public arena again with the West helping themselves first to the vaccinations and offering the left overs to those who cannot afford to buy them.

How would Jesus have reacted if He were still here on earth amongst us?

There was no place in Jesus’ ministry for favouritism. When the disciples who were closest to Jesus, that is James and John, asked for a place at his right and left hand in heaven, Jesus rebuked them.

When the Jews wanted prime place in his kingdom because of their long standing status as a privileged and favoured nation, Jesus rebuked them.

In Jesus’ eyes there was no advantage in colour, status, education or gender. He loves us all and came to bring hope and salvation for us all.

His way would be to have an even distribution of access to every thing that society needs in the 21st century. Police protection, high quality education, social mobility – the list is long but we must strive to achieve it.

As for March 2021–we need to push for governments to support the people of those countries who don’t have a voice nor indeed the money to buy the expensive vaccines. John Rennie 24.02 2021