I understand where you're coming from. But you feel a certain way, keep asking questions that either validate or invalidate that feeling.

&gt; From my point of view, the US just spent a ton of money for a vaccin and has bought its way up on the priority list

Of course. But then we'd turn the discussion into the historic role of U.S. industrial-military hegemony in shifting international power dynamics since 1945. Which isn't a discussion we can have in this subreddit.

As a historian, I never really expected an outcome in which vaccine development wouldn't become a part of struggles between large power blocs in this world.

Also, this sub tends to be singularly focussed on the U.S. whereas efforts elsewhere in the world tend to be pushed out of the limelight.

Did you know that there 30 vaccine candidates are being developed in India? 5 of which - including an entirely Indian developed candidate - are in clinical trials? Did you know that  India's 42 year old immunisation program targets 55 million people yearly, issuing 390 million doses against a dozen diseases?

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-55048925

It's still going to be a challenge for India, but I think that it's worth noting that the apparent importance of the U.S. only means so much elsewhere in a world which is far more complex and larger than people often take it to be.