COVID-19 series: The year of the vaccine

The year 2021 began with governments racing to obtain, and administer, COVID-19 shots produced by some of the pharmaceutical industry’s biggest names, as well as new rivals from China and Russia. At stake: The ability of countries to protect their people and revive dormant economies, with the wealthiest nations quickly taking the lead. All along the way, Reuters correspondents around the world have provided deeply reported insight and exclusive stories into the progress achieved by early leaders in vaccines; the industry’s setbacks in producing shots at unprecedented scale; the unequal access that has left many countries behind; and the new variants that are upending expectations of what will happen next in this pandemic.