Asia once led the coronavirus battle. Why is it behind on vaccines?

In Israel, where well over half the country’s 9 million residents have received their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, citizens are spilling out from bars onto the streets.

After administering 24 million first doses of vaccine, British authorities foresee the lifting of all social distancing rules before the end of June.

In the United States, where two-thirds of over-65s have received their first shot, top infectious diseases expert Anthony Fauci has predicted 70 per cent of the population – the expected threshold for herd immunity – could be vaccinated and pre-pandemic normality restored before summer’s end.

After winning plaudits with pandemic control measures that minimised deaths compared to the Western world, Asia-Pacific countries are falling behind countries such as the US, Israel and Britain in vaccinating their populations, held up by supply issues, logistical challenges, regulatory burdens, vaccine hesitancy and a reduced sense of urgency due to the success of disease control measures.

Although some Asian countries have managed to keep disruption to everyday life to a minimum by suppressing the virus, the protracted roll-outs risk delaying the end of the pandemic and a promised return to normal life, especially for decimated sectors such as aviation and tourism.