Axios PM: China's vaccine fail

Plus: A view you could last see in March 2020 | Tuesday, June 22, 2021

Open in app View in browser   Presented By Amazon   Axios PM By Mike Allen ·Jun 22, 2021 Good afternoon: Today's PM — edited by Justin Green — is 405 words, a 1.5-minute read. ⚡️The Biden administration acknowledged it will likely miss its goal of vaccinating 70% of U.S. adults with at least one dose by July 4.     1 big thing: China's vaccine fail A Chinese citizen receives a dose of COVID-19 vaccine at Mong Ha Sports Complex in Macao, south China. Photo: Cheong Kam Ka/Xinhua via Getty Images   Multiple countries who eagerly inoculated their people with China's COVID vaccines face devastating new case surges. Why it matters: This revelation undermines China's vaccine diplomacy, which Beijing has prioritized in the developing world to win influence and commercial deals. China loved the contrast with the U.S., which has been slow in allocating surplus vaccines abroad. Now, developing countries are likely to look increasingly to the West, and not to Beijing, for vaccines. "In the Seychelles, Chile, Bahrain and Mongolia, 50 to 68 percent of the populations have been fully inoculated, outpacing the United States," the N.Y. Times reports. "All four ranked among the top 10 countries with the worst Covid outbreaks as recently as last week." "And all four are mostly using shots made by two Chinese vaccine makers, Sinopharm and Sinovac Biotech." By comparison, Israel used Pfizer and has 4.95 cases per million people, versus the Seychelles at 716 per million. The bottom line: China has been offering countries tens of millions of vaccine doses. But if people in these countries don't want the shots, the U.S. could be back in the driver's seat on vaccine diplomacy.     2. The stakes for Microsoft's Windows update Data: Statcounter Global Stats; Chart: Axios Visuals While there are many ways Microsoft could improve Windows, a key area is helping people work across multiple devices, including smartphones, writes Axios chief tech correspondent Ina Fried. The company is unveiling a new version of Windows on Thursday. The big picture: The long-term health of its business still depends on a thriving Windows ecosystem.     A message from Amazon See what making $15+/hr means to Amazon employees     Before working at Amazon, Leonardo was making $9 an hour at a car wash. Now he makes more than $15 an hour and is able to help his family. What this means: Amazon employees have seen the difference that making at least $15 an hour can have. Get more details.     3. Catch up quick The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. speaks in Atlanta in 1960. Photo: AP   The estate of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. reached an agreement with HarperCollins Publishers for rights to King's literary archive. Go deeper. Adult deaths from COVID-19 are "at this point entirely preventable" thanks to vaccines, CDC head Rochelle Walensky said. Go deeper. Blackstone will pay around $6 billion to purchase Home Partners of America, a Chicago-based owner of more than 17,000 single-family homes. Go deeper. Soho IPO: "Membership Collective Group, the company behind the trendy Soho House members clubs, has filed for an initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange." — Bloomberg Connecticut became the 19th state to legalize marijuana.     4. A view you could last see in March 2020 Photo: Miquel Benitez/Getty Images The internal ceiling of the Sagrada Família cathedral in Barcelona during the presentation of the Vienna Philharmonic's concert today.     A message from Amazon "Amazon has allowed me to live a comfortable life"     When Luv-Luv joined Amazon, she was just looking for a job — any job — with health care. What she found was so much more. Thanks to Amazon's starting wage of at least $15 an hour and comprehensive benefits, she is able to live life on her own terms. Watch her story.   Like this style and format? Request access to Axios HQ The tool and templates you need for more engaging team updates.   Axios thanks our partners for supporting our newsletters. If you're interested in advertising, learn more here. Sponsorship has no influence on editorial content. Axios, 3100 Clarendon B‌lvd, Suite 1300, Arlington VA 22201   You received this email because you signed up for newsletters from Axios. Change your preferences or unsubscribe here.   Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up now to get Axios in your inbox.   Follow Axios on social media: