A global argument kicked off after the Biden administration threw its weight behind waiving intellectual property protections for Covid-19 vaccines, which would allow other countries to make them. Germany, home to BioNTech and CureVac, countered that patents are needed because they encourage exactly the kind of innovation that enables fast vaccine development. The new U.S. proposal may face lengthy negotiations at the World Trade Organization—and in the meantime, many countries will continue to turn to Beijing for shots. The likes of India, Brazil and South Africa need doses now. Indeed, Bloomberg’s Editorial Board writes that waiving patent protections won’t be a panacea.
The U.S. economy is on its way back, but minority communities are getting left behind and the latest jobs data show women are leaving the workforce. As the return to the office gathers momentum, employers need to realize their workers will bring with them the emotional scars of a horrific year of isolation and fear. This is how companies can smooth the path.
