Last February, the world had insufficient production of Covid-19 protection equipment. The British NHS could not get equipment because the French manufacturer it had a contract with for emergency supplies gave priority to another client.

Rather than fume over which client the manufacturer chose, and which client couldn't get urgently needed masks, the crucial point is that the world could not produce enough to meet the needs of a pandemic.

Each country needs to maintain a sufficient production capacity to supply its own needs in a pandemic.