evidence: Vaccines provided hope for an eventual end to the pandemic, which, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) had claimed at least 5.5 million lives by the end of 2021, though some estimates suggest the actual number of deaths could be two to three times higher. Many governments pledged to support global vaccination coverage, and the G7 and the G20 made notable commitments. However, despite efforts by some governments in the Global South in particular, international cooperation largely failed. High-income countries stockpiled millions more doses than they could use, leaving some countries able to vaccinate their entire populations three to five times over.