A number of vaccines for COVID-19 have been developed in record time and the hope is that this will bring an end to the death, suffering, and disruption to ordinary life caused by the pandemic. Yet, currently, only a small number of countries from the Global North are being able to vaccinate at a rapid rate with access to COVID-19 vaccines having been conditioned by the ability to make large investments in the developments of the vaccine. The vaccines are being manufactured by large private companies, based almost exclusively in the Global North, who have become household names. Yet, their development involved not only private funding but also large amounts of public money and research. Moreover, some of the vaccines were tested on people living in countries in the Global South, including in South Africa. The patenting of the vaccines not only has allowed for the ability of companies to charge high prices but also restrictions on who may supply the vaccines which is partly responsible for current shortages.