The Covid-19 vaccine race in numbers: UK leads the global pack
With many countries being at different phases of their response to the ongoing pandemic, Morning Wire looked at Covid-19 policies and vaccination numbers around the world, based on data provided by the Blavatnik School of Government at the University of Oxford.
The interactive map below offers a visual representation of practically every country’s Covid-19 response, outlining health system policies around the world, such as vaccinations and contact tracing.
The map also provides information on economic policies including furlough funds and debt relief, as well as containment and closure policies, such as lockdowns and international travel controls.
Vaccination policies
Over 70 governments around the world have rolled out some form of vaccination policy. The UK is in phase 3 of this, a step ahead of the majority of its European neighbours.
When you click on each country, it also outlines the number of vaccination doses ordered and administered. The map was last updated on 16 March, so not all countries that have suspended the Astrazeneca vaccine may have been captured yet.
Contact tracing
176 governments have implemented some form of contact tracing. The UK and most of its European counterparts have comprehensive contact tracing in place, while the US and Canada, amongst many others, only have limited approaches.
Facial coverings
The researchers found that 181 governments have requirements on facial coverings, leaving only four countries without any policies on this. The UK’s policy on facial coverings is much more relaxed in comparison to the rest of the world.
Restrictions on internal movement
Around 172 governments have restrictions on internal movement. The UK currently imposes restrictions on movement between cities and regions, similar to Ireland, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands and Italy, but just over the border, France, Belgium and Switzerland currently have no internal measures in place.