By the late 2020s, economies are battered. Countries need bold new economic-recovery plans. Different groups propose different solutions.

China buys goodwill by distributing vaccines across Africa and Asia.

Pandemic-ridden countries in South America ask for vaccines, and are told to ask their rich neighbours to the north. The US is angry about this; they’ve got their own problems and China’s just trying to make them look bad.

Organized-crime networks start producing and selling fake vaccines, leading to more scepticism about whether vaccines really work. Families stop speaking to each other over whether or not the risks of vaccination are worth it.

Because of all this arguing, it takes nearly two years until enough of the world is vaccinated that things can return to sort-of normal.

By the late 2020s, economies are battered. Countries need bold new economic-recovery plans. Different groups propose different solutions.

The richest people in the world band together and donate vaccines to countries that need them.

People erect statues in honour of their billionaire saviours.

The rollout programmes aren’t very effective, though, because they’re optimized for PR rather than public health. Instead of taking months to roll out the vaccine, it takes two years.

By the late 2020s, economies are battered. Countries need bold new economic-recovery plans. Different groups propose different solutions.

Vaccine rumours are everywhere.

They’re filled with oestrogen and it’s a plot to feminize men! They contain microchips so that Bill Gates can track our every movement! They cause cancer so that you’re addicted to buying Big Pharma medicines for the rest of your life! Anti-vaxxers hijack vaccine-distribution trucks and destroy millions of doses.

Instead of taking months to roll out the vaccine, it takes four years.

By the late 2020s, economies are battered. Countries need bold new economic-recovery plans. Different groups propose different solutions.