In-Depth Ethical Analysis of the COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout for Migrant Workers in the Gulf Countries

Abstract

During the initial COVID-19 vaccine rollout, supplies were scarce, necessitating rationing. Gulf countries, hosting millions of migrant workers, prioritized nationals over migrants for vaccination. As it turned out, many migrant workers found themselves waiting behind nationals to get vaccinated for COVID-19. Here, we discuss the public health ethical concerns surrounding this approach and call for fair and inclusive vaccine allocation policies. First, we examine global justice through the lens of statism, where distributive justice applies only to sovereign state members, and cosmopolitanism, advocating equal justice distribution for all humans. We propose a cooperativist perspective, suggesting that new justice obligations can arise between people beyond national ties. In cases of mutually beneficial cooperation, such as migrant workers contributing to a nation's economy, equal concern for all parties is required. Second, the principle of reciprocity further supports this stance, as migrants significantly contribute to host countries’ societies and economies. Additional ethical principles—equity, utilitarianism, solidarity, and nondiscrimination—are essentially violated when excluding non-nationals in vaccine distribution. Finally, we argue that prioritizing nationals over migrants is not only ethically indefensible, but it also fails to ensure full protection for nationals and hampers efforts to curb COVID-19 community spread.