"Vaccination is the game changer. It’s difficult to plan the next year, but our perspective is hopefully we have the chance to vaccinate our risk groups in the first quarter and have the chance to vaccinate broader parts of society in the second quarter."

Those were the words of Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, speaking at the Forum's latest virtual Great Reset meeting on 2 December. His comments came as the UK became the first country to authorize the use of a new COVID-19 vaccine, with other countries are the globe set to follow suit this month.

The Great Reset, which grew out of the Forum's COVID Action Platform, is a commitment to jointly and urgently build the foundations of our economic and social system for a more fair, sustainable and resilient post-COVID future.

Other speakers at Wednesday's virtual meeting included Stéphane Bancel, Chief Executive Officer, Moderna; Henrietta Fore, Executive Director, United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF); Sir Mene Pangalos, Executive Vice-President, Biopharmaceutical Research and Development, AstraZeneca; Dr Paul Stoffels, Vice-Chairman of the Executive Committee, Chief Scientific Officer, Johnson & Johnson.

Here's a roundup of some of the key quotes from the session.

"I hope there is light on the horizon for 2021 - but in our case we think we still have another four to five difficult months ahead of us."

—Sebastian Kurz, Chancellor of Austria

"It's not enough to have the wealthy countries vaccinated, we have to have the world vaccinated."

—Sir Mene Pangalos, Executive Vice-President, Biopharmaceutical Research and Development, AstraZeneca

"We need supply chain, logistics and transportation sectors that are all working together - we need to prioritize the transportation of vaccines."

—Henrietta Fore, Executive Director, United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)

"I think it's going to be frustrating, because there won't be enough for most people definitely in the first quarter, definitely in the second quarter - and most probably for the entire year."

—Stéphane Bancel, Chief Executive Officer, Moderna

"Between all of the industry partners, as well as with the clinical trial centers, the collaboration has been exceptional."

—Dr Paul Stoffels, Vice-Chairman of the Executive Committee, Chief Scientific Officer, Johnson & Johnson

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