Istanbul Gelisim University - “Vaccine provision takes over mask provision”

“Vaccine provision takes over mask provision”

Stating that a new era and a unique experience has emerged for the whole world with curfews, restricted social life and economic recession, Political Scientist Dr. Fırat Demirkol says, “The supply of masks has been replaced by vaccine supply. This situation created a new competition area.”

From the department of Political Science and International Relations in Istanbul Gelisim University Dr. Lecturer Fırat Demirkol, who emphasizes that medical masks, which can be produced with low technology, have turned into a serious competition area among countries, says, “Countries with developed economies in the world's economic system have excluded many production activities from their own production system due to their low added value. Instead, areas such as high-tech production and software have become a priority. However, these priorities changed with the pandemic. From this point of view, this unique experience of humanity will reveal its effect on the economic order. Although this process called "mask wars" has slowed down compared to the earlier times, it has been replaced by a new topic, vaccine provision process, and this has created a new competition area.

Saying the tendency to produce value-added and high-profitable products will change at the end of the pandemic period, Dr. Demirkol indicates, “Now, it is thought that countries will write the production of basic medical supplies and basic food products that do not have high added value in their to-do lists. This situation can be explained as introversion or increasing nationalism, but it can also be interpreted as the psychological change brought about by the pandemic."

"THE SPIRIT OF SOLIDARITY WILL RISE”

Indicating that this experience will continue to change our social habits for a while, Dr. Demirkol says, “Issues such as the use of masks and staying away from public areas have lead to this situation. With the pandemic, the activities in the single-storey garden or with nuclear family gained importance. Another topic brought to societies by this period is the importance of solidarity. All scientists state that this process cannot end only with vaccination in certain countries or with the vaccination of a group in the society, but the period will end with a total approach. This situation, although not voluntarily, reminds humanity of the fact that when the ship sinks, everyone will drown. Therefore, it can be said that the spirit of solidarity will necessarily come to the fore both within the societies and the international community.”