On Monday, the New York Postreported that the top ten richest people in the world made enough money last year to vaccinate every single person on the planet for COVID-19.
"The 10 richest billionaires saw their collective wealth increase by $540 billion from March 18 — around the time the coronavirus caused a historic crash in global stock markets — through Dec. 31, according to Oxfam's analysis of Forbes wealth data," reported Noah Manskar. "That's more than enough to cover the estimated $141.2 billion cost of producing, distributing and delivering COVID-19 vaccines for the entire global population, the nonprofit said in its Monday report."
"Rigged economies are funneling wealth to a rich elite who are riding out the pandemic in luxury, while those on the frontline of the pandemic — shop assistants, healthcare workers, and market vendors — are struggling to pay the bills and put food on the table," said Oxfam International executive director Gabriela Bucher.
The vaccine rollout in the United States has been plagued with problems in delivery that have put the effort behind schedule. However, some wealthy individuals have been able to cut to the front of the line; one Florida nursing home, for example, was found to be giving out vaccines to its donors.