Shortly after scientists identified SARS-CoV-2 in 2020, the race was on to come up with a vaccine. It was unprecedented. So was a global initiative called COVAX, with the aim to make these vaccines equitable to low- and middle-income countries. In the nearly two years since it was created, and exactly one year since delivering its first vaccine shipments, COVAX has faced massive challenges in living up to its directive. Billions of people around the world have yet to receive a single shot. The World’s Elana Gordon brings us the story.