European Communist Initiative: "Capitalism is responsible for Covid pandemic casualties"

In a statement, the Secretariat of the Initiative of Communist and Workers' Parties (European Communist Initiative) stresses out:

The Covid-19, which was first detected in late 2019 and declared as a worldwide pandemic in March 2020, has been going on for almost two years. During this period, 271 million people were infected, and more than 5 million people died due to Covid-19. The vast majority of deaths have been in the United States, which has the most market-oriented healthcare system in the world; however, “developed” European countries with big economies also lead the ranking of deaths.

Austria: Communists slam government's policy on pandemic

In a statement titled "Lockdown for the unvaccinated: diversionary tactics and government failure", the Central Committee of the Party of Labour of Austria (PdA) condemns the federal government's policy on the management of the pandemic situation.

The statement reads:

On the 15th of November 2021, the federal government imposed an Austria-wide "lockdown for the unvaccinated". The Party of Labour of Austria cannot agree to this measure and wants to state the following points in this regard:

COVID Vaccines: Communist Parties say "No" to patents

On the issue of the patent for the COVID-19 vaccines, more than 60 Communist and Workers' Parties have issued the following statement:

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a great tragedy for more than a year now. In this period, in many countries, millions of workers have caught the disease, losing their health, their jobs or even their lives. On the other hand, in the same time frame, some companies that have sold the essential needs food, hygienic materials, masks and finally, vaccines, as commodities, have become among the wealthiest in the world. The capitalist class has turned the pandemic into an opportunity for greater exploitation of workers in order to make more profits. 

A YEAR OF CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC — JOINT STATEMENT BY COMMUNIST AND WORKERS' PARTIES

A year after the outbreak of the Coronavirus Pandemic, Communist and Workers' Parties from all over the world issued a statement assessing the current situation and pledge to continue the struggle for public, free and universal healthcare services, as well as for protection of the workers-people's democratic rights. 

 

The statement, among others, underline the fact that the pandemic has highlighted the necessity of Socialism which can put the contemporary scientific and technological potential at the service of the people's needs. 

The full statement is as follows:

Free and safe vaccination must be ensured for all people! — Statement by the European Communist Initiative

In a statement the Secretariat of the European Communist Initiative demands free and safe vaccination for all the people of the world. The Initiative condemns the anti-vaccine rationality and unscientific theories, pointing out that the capitalist profit and monopolistic competition criteria, which delay the supply of necessary anti-Covid 19 vaccines, have become obstacles to the people in Europe and the world.

KKE: Capitalism is the actual and visible virus!

Coronavirus vaccine supply has become a critical issue as nations seek to stem high infection rates. Last week, AstraZeneca told the EU it was falling behind on its supply target because of production problems. U.S. pharmaceutical Pfizer/Biontech proceeded to temporary cut deliveries while cases in many European countries surge. 

 

From its side, the European Union warned it will tighten exports of Covid vaccines produced in the bloc. Competitions, delays, exports' restrictions, business profits are putting people's health into risk. 

Is the Covid vaccine a "triumph of capitalism"?

 By Nikos Mottas.

One of the many myths that have been spread by bourgeois media during this period is that the Covid-19 vaccine consists a “victory” or a “triumph” of capitalism. In fact, they are trying to convince us that the – without doubt significant - progress made by large biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies in the fight against Coronavirus is an achievement of the capitalist system. 

This is simply not true. 

WHY does the EU refuse to disclose COVID-19 vaccine contracts with pharmaceutical companies?

The European Union has officially declined to disclose the contracts with the pharmaceutical companies over the COVID-19 vaccines thus violating the right of the people to full transparency about issues directly related with their safety and health.

As 902 portal reported, the EU Parliament group of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) raised the issue during the discussion for “EU's vaccination strategy against COVID-19” in the Parliament's Plenary. In his intervention, KKE MEP Kostas Papadakis asked from the Commission to publish the contracts between the EU and Pharmaceutical industries concerning the COVID-19 vaccines.