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If Facebook broke up, would anyone notice?

WHAT WOULD HAPPEN if Facebook disappeared tomorrow? Would people suddenly be unable to communicate online? Would the economy screech to a halt? Would anyone be deprived of a good, service, or piece of information that was somehow crucial to their existence?

Of course not. Which is why the one of the company’s main arguments against a breakup — that it’s too big and complex to dismember — makes no sense.

Some companies play such an important role in the economy or in people’s lives that their failure or disintegration could be disastrous. This allows them to drive a hard bargain with the government if they get into trouble: Help us, or else. During the 2008 financial crisis, for example, the government had little choice but to rescue the largest US banks, lest their demise bring down the country’s whole system of credit and payments. In this sense, they were “too big to fail” — and they have grown even bigger since.

It’s easy to see why people might place Facebook in a similar category. It’s big, among the largest companies in the world by market capitalization — thanks in large part to the pace at which it has vacuumed up the competition, with the blessing of US authorities. With more than 200 million users in the US alone, it definitely plays a role in a lot of people’s lives — so much so that it has aggravated the country’s divisions by enticing people to delve ever deeper into conspiracy theories about vaccines, COVID-19, and much else.

So what would happen if, as a result of the antitrust suits filed by the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general, a court ordered Facebook to split up, reversing its acquisitions of WhatsApp and Instagram? The company’s lawyers argue that the various businesses have become so inextricably interwoven that a breakup would be extremely difficult, generating costs and chaos that would harm users worldwide. In other words, don’t mess with us, or else.

Really? No doubt, the breakup would be difficult for Facebook’s managers, who rely on data sharing among WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook to create the most complete possible profiles of users and then sell their attention to the highest bidder. If the companies were separated, all the investment they’d been making into surveillance and targeting wouldn’t immediately work out as well as they had hoped. For them, the product is the advertising, not the service to users.

For users, though, there would hardly be a difference. Most try to ignore the advertising anyway — or occasionally get creeped out when they see an ad for a product they’d been researching elsewhere. They’re primarily there for the content from celebrities and their friends, or to communicate through group chats and messaging systems. The apps are already separate icons on their computers and phones.

Even in the highly unlikely event that all three apps somehow failed, it’s hard to imagine consumers suffering much. They have plenty of other ways to reach each other, such as Twitter, Zoom, and e-mail. Given the role Facebook has played in polarizing society, there might even be some upside.

BLOOMBERG OPINION

Sweden’s second wave offers hard reality check

LINUS MIMIETZ/UNSPLASH

EVERY COUNTRY has at one point dared to believe they’ve figured out how to beat SARS-CoV-2, until reality sets in.

The UK’s misguided flirtation with a hands-off “herd immunity” strategy in March led quickly to a U-turn and tough restrictions. France and Spain promised they’d never repeat the draconian lockdowns they imposed early on — only to break their vow when test-and-trace systems failed to keep pace with summer vacation contagion. Israelis, who after a first lockdown were told to enjoy life and “have a beer,” are now facing a third one. Donald Trump recently claimed he’d ended the pandemic (he hadn’t).

Now, it’s Sweden’s turn. After a summer lull, the Scandinavian country famous for its voluntary “trust-based” approach to social distancing is getting battered by a winter wave of the coronavirus. Its seven-day average of daily cases and deaths per capita is currently outpacing the UK, France, and Spain, and isn’t far off the US’s tallies. While Sweden’s total deaths of 7,514 are on a per-capita basis lower than those countries, they far outstrip its Nordic neighbors at five times Denmark’s rate, nine times Finland’s, and 10 times Norway’s.

The aura of calm that Swedes have projected is fading as a result. With intensive-care beds in Stockholm almost full, Prime Minister Stefan Lofven gave a recent gloomy television address — a historically rare occurrence — imploring citizens to follow tough new restrictions to alleviate overstretched hospitals and save Christmas. Public gatherings are capped at eight people; schools have been shut, some for the first time; alcohol sales are banned after 10 p.m. While much is still recommendation rather than rule, Sweden’s government has proposed a law that would give it the power to close stores in response to a worsening pandemic.

This doesn’t come close to the widespread business closures seen elsewhere or the bureaucratic form-filling of France’s lockdowns. But it’s a sign that whatever was working in Sweden isn’t doing the trick anymore. Though the country suffered a high death rate during the first wave, there was optimism it was an upfront cost in return for less economic pain and higher immunity levels — all while respecting, and even reinforcing, a fabric of social trust. Sweden’s economy at the end of September was only 2.2% smaller than it was in 2019, according to HSBC. But the new wave is a nasty development.

It’s tempting to gloat over Sweden’s failures and the attitude of its top epidemiologist, Anders Tegnell, who is by turns curiously inflexible (he opposes face masks) and unpredictable (his U-turns on guidelines for children). But maybe Sweden is simply falling into the norm for this public health crisis. After all, Germany, a bright spot of Europe earlier this year, is going through a similar reversal of fortunes. Its daily deaths are hitting their highest levels since the start of the pandemic, prompting Chancellor Angela Merkel to call on Germans to rein in Christmas celebrations in an emotional speech. Switzerland, too, is being hit harder this time around.

The reality is that all countries have had to learn from mistakes. Data estimating the strictness of COVID-19 restrictions around the world suggest countries like Italy and France have softened their lockdown approach since April, keeping schools open for example. Giuliano di Baldassarre, a professor of crisis management at Uppsala University, reckons the lessons have gone both ways: Sweden has taught other countries to consider more humane and more stable restrictions, but it has also been taught that a lack of legal or regulatory intervention can become a problem.

As countries from the UK to Croatia tighten restrictions ahead of the holidays, the ideal of a European “model” for keeping the virus in check is looking increasingly unattainable — and that includes the Swedish model, the focus of such fascination earlier this year. It would have been hard to replicate the Scandinavian country’s natural advantages, such as a high rate of remote work and single-occupant households, elsewhere. Now it seems the country’s popular commitment to social distancing is suffering from fatigue, as elsewhere. Until vaccines get rolled out at scale, the danger for people everywhere will be imagining they’ve got this virus beaten.

BLOOMBERG OPINION

Punching through the message

ANALYSES, action plans, and strategies need to be presented in bite-sizes with short titles (three words max) that explain what they are about. A punchy phrase (say “declining market share”) sounds neutral, and devoid of drama. Isn’t this how a doctor’s diagnosis should sound like? How did “positive” become a dreaded word?

The talking points (also called bullet points or “bullet”) are punchy phrases that constitute a situation or action plan. If a profit plan involves laying off unproductive and costly executives who are not contributing to the bottom line, only raising the overhead to unnatural levels, the required solution is boiled down to two words: “right sizing.” This is a nice neutral phrase that takes away the drama from layoffs — you’re not the right size.

Robert McNamara, who served as the American Secretary of Defense during the Vietnam War found that situations could be summarized by metrics (numbers that can be compared and turned into ratios) and “bullet points.” With the use of short punchy summaries of situations and accompanying quantification of productivity (“body bags” or “areas under control” became favorites) a complex situation could be boiled down to a few points to show that it was manageable.

Consultants love bullets for their situation analyses. These are at the heart of presentations to the executive committee as well as pitches for new accounts. In the virtual meeting, the presenter is given full attention — “can I share my slides?” Everybody else is on mute.

Here are some rules for bullet points.

Bullets should be few, only four at most in one slide. This rule allows the eye to focus on a few items on the screen. It ensures that the presenter is not reading his narrative off the page that his audience is looking at. Bullet points serve as triggers for lengthier narratives which the speaker does not flash on the screen.

If you want to convey that department heads do not talk with each other and go off working from home on their own without evaluating resources utilized (and denied to other units) the bullet is shown simply — “silo mentality.” It is good to use words not found in ordinary conversation so that the bullets smack of divine revelations. It also allows the prophet to explain the cryptic titles. The visual for this slide shows agricultural architecture for storing wheat.

Never mention actual persons in bullet points. Characters are described by their behavior, usually dysfunctional (note the spelling of that word). A second-or-third-tier executive is sketched with a few words which carry their own spin. A “thought leader” (good) can also be called a “loose cannon” (bad). These two phrases can embrace the same behavior of going ahead without checking with anybody.

Bullet points address limited attention spans. This time constraint may be due to a busy schedule. Most likely it is a problem of attention span, especially when presenting to many in a virtual meeting (no audio and video) — did the CEO go off to have lunch?

Statistics can be overwhelming. Some numbers are thrown away as irrelevant. Bullet points connect the dots on the remaining ones to draw a specific picture. Stories (or narratives) are considered a way of explaining any development.

The field of “behavioral economics” looks at non-monetary considerations in decision-making and points to the power of the narrative in influencing seemingly pure economic moves.

Why is the price of a stock moving up? Is it just a herd mentality? Maybe there is a story going around of undue interest from some sectors. The bullet point, “bargain hunting” can wake up a sleepy stock which is seen to be undervalued.

Bullet points supply the summary of a story which can be a handy headline for the blogs — recovery, consolidation, hostile acquisition, or vulture funds. Talking points allow the reporter to punch through the message and make it easier to grasp and pass on.

Even in a PR crisis, such as a late-night attack by a sleepy leader holding a pre-recorded press conference, the punchy phrase is important. After the announcements laced with unscripted side comments, a reaction from the mentioned personality or corporation is sure to follow.

Message discipline requires a measured response, mindful of withholding some overreaction. In this case, bullet points can easily be misunderstood to mean something else entirely.

 

Tony Samson is Chairman and CEO, TOUCH xda

ar.samson@yahoo.com

Europe set to approve COVID-19 vaccine on Christmas week

BERLIN/BRUSSELS — Europeans are set to start getting coronavirus vaccines before the new year after the regional drug regulator accelerated its approval process following the launch of immunization campaigns in the United States and Britain.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) said an expert panel would convene on Monday Dec. 21 to evaluate the vaccine made by US company Pfizer and German partner BioNTech . It had previously said the meeting could be as late as Dec 29.

While EMA’s mandate is to issue recommendations on new medical treatments, the European Commission has the final say on approval and typically follows EMA’s advice.

EMA said its expert meeting was brought forward after the companies had provided more data, as requested, and the EU Commission would fast-track its procedures to rule on approval “within days”.

Germany should start giving coronavirus shots 24 to 72 hours after the BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine gets EU approval and could begin as soon as Christmas, Health Minister Jens Spahn said on Tuesday.

EU (European Union) Commission President Ursula von der Leyen echoed those sentiments by saying on Twitter “(It is) Likely that the first Europeans will be vaccinated before end 2020.”

Germany, France, Italy and five other European states will coordinate the start of their vaccination campaigns, the countries’ health ministers said in a joint statement on Tuesday.

The countries will promote “the coordination of the launch of the vaccination campaigns” and will rapidly share information on how it is proceeding, said the statement, released by Italy.

The statement was also signed by the health ministers of Germany, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Spain and EU neighbor Switzerland.

TOUGH CHRISTMAS
Rising infection rates and tighter lockdown measures in many European nations have added to the pressure on the EMA to act as quickly as possible and cast a shadow over the Christmas celebrations.

The EMA added any approval would come with a safety monitoring plan, manufacturing controls, an investigation plan for use in children and binding obligations by the manufacturers to provide more efficacy and safety data. 

Britain was the first to approve the shot for emergency use on Dec. 3, followed by Canada on Dec. 9 and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Dec. 11.

EMA said in early December it planned to issue its view on the BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine by Dec 29, and on another candidate developed by Moderna by Jan. 12.

Both U.S. biotech firm Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech have reported vaccine effectiveness in trials of well above 90% — an unexpectedly high rate. Any side effects have eased quickly and had not been serious, they said.

BioNTech reiterated it was on track deliver 50 million doses globally this year, for 25 million two-dose courses needed for immunization. — Reuters

Australia ups the ante in trade row with China

SYDNEY — Australia will launch a formal appeal to the World Trade Organization (WTO) later on Wednesday seeking a review of China’s decision to impose hefty tariffs on imports of Australian barley, Minister for Trade Simon Birmingham said.

Acknowledging the appeal may take years to be resolved, Birmingham told reporters that Australia had little choice after Beijing in May imposed five years of anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties totalling 80.5% on Canberra’s barley — effectively stopping a billion-dollar trade in its tracks.

“Australia has an incredibly strong case to mount in relation to defending the integrity and proprietary of our grain growers and barley producers,” Mr. Birmingham said.

The Chinese government embassy in Australian didn’t immediately respond to email requesting comment.

The appeal to the independent trade body threatens to further stoke bilateral tensions that have already seen China impose tariffs on a range of Australian commodities, while diplomatic communication is limited.

Already rocky after Australia in 2018 banned Huawei from its nascent 5G broadband network, the relationship with China cooled further after Canberra called this year for an independent investigation into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic, first reported in central China last year.

China has since limited beef imports, imposed tariffs on Australian wine and told its millers to stop buying Australian cotton.

While some have said Australia should seek a truce with China, Canberra’s conservative government is under growing pressure from farmers who face five years without being able to sell to what has been their most lucrative market.

“It is imperative that we support the liberalization of global trade and the rules that govern it,” said Fiona Simson, chief executive of the National Farmers Federation, in an emailed statement issued after minister Birmingham announced the WTO move.

About 70% of Australian exports of the grain typically go to China, Australian data show.

The effective block on sales to China also comes as Australian barley production is expected to hit nearly 12 million tons this crop year, after rain revived some of the biggest growing regions following years of drought.

Government sources, however, warned the WTO action won’t yield quick results.

The first stage of the appeal will seek formal talks between Australia and China, which are not expected until early next year.

Australia has low expectations of an immediate cessation of tariffs.

“We appealed a few months ago and they rejected that. So it seems unlikely that China will admit they were wrong,” said one person familiar with the details of the case who declined to be named because he was not authorized to talk to media.

Should talks between Australia and China fail to yield a result, an independent panel of experts will be set up to look into the issue. Australia expects this could take several years, and even if that panel rules in Canberra’s favour, China has the right to appeal. —Reuters

MSCI chops Chinese firms from some of its global indexes

REUTERS

BOSTON/WASHINGTON/SINGAPORE — MSCI, Inc will cut seven Chinese firms from some of its global indexes, it said on Tuesday, the third major index publisher to do so following US restrictions on owning the companies.

As with similar steps by S&P, Dow Jones Indices and FTSE Russell the move means index-tracking funds will need to divest, the latest disruption to markets from an increasingly tough approach to China by the outgoing Trump administration.

Companies to be deleted include SMIC, China Communications Construction Co. and Hangzhou Hikvision, though MSCI said it will launch new parallel indexes that retain the securities.

MSCI said it decided to cut the companies after consulting customers following a ban on US investors buying stocks that the US Defense Department regards as backed by the Chinese military.

China has condemned that ban, announced last month by President Donald Trump, and fund managers have said it could benefit non-US investors able to pick up the stocks.

Shares in the affected companies slipped slightly in broadly steady markets on Wednesday in Asia, with Hikvision, for example, down 1.4%. Hikvision has called its inclusion on the US list “groundless”.

MSCI said in a press release that it removed the companies based on feedback from more than 100 market participants in the United States and elsewhere. The firms will be cut at the close of business on Jan. 5.

Investors said MSCI’s intended launch of new indexes, which retain the stocks, could be useful but that would depend on how widely such products are taken up as benchmarks.

“Many non-US investors will be free to choose the index that retains the stocks, but many follow whatever the big US houses are doing anyway,” said Tariq Dennison, managing director at GFM Asset Management in Hong Kong.

The other stocks cut by MSCI are China Railway Construction Co., China Spacesat, CRRC Corp and Dawning Information Industry Co., Ltd.

In a statement to Reuters late on Tuesday, the White House welcomed MSCI’s decision without referencing its terms.

“For years American investors have unknowingly financed Chinese Communist military companies, which help the [People’s Liberation Army] threaten U.S. service members,” said John Ullyot, a spokesman for the White House’s National Security Council.

“Under President Trump’s leadership, this is coming to an end,” he said. — Reuters

Kangaroos can learn to communicate with humans — researchers

SYDNEY — Kangaroos can learn to communicate with humans similar to how domesticated dogs do, by using their gaze to “point” and ask for help, researchers said in a study published on Wednesday.

The study involved 11 kangaroos that lived in captivity but had not been domesticated. Ten of the 11 marsupials intently gazed at researchers when they were unable to open a box with food, according to the report. Nine alternately looked at the human and at the container, as a way of pointing or gesturing toward the object.

“We interpreted this as a deliberate form of communication, a request for help,” Alan McElligott, the Irish researcher who led the study, told Reuters in a call from Hong Kong.

“Wild species are not really expected to behave as those subjects were, and that’s why it is surprising.”

The findings challenge the notion that only domesticated animals such as dogs, horses or goats communicate with humans, and suggests many more animals could grasp how to convey meaning to humans, the paper asserts.

“We’ve previously thought only domesticated animals try to ask for help with a problem. But kangaroos do it too,” concluded co-researcher Alexandra Green from the University of Sydney.

“It’s more likely to be a learned behavior when the environment is right.” — Reuters

MVP named as Sports Tourism Personality of the Year — 2019

MANUEL V. Pangilinan’s moniker as MVP was made all the more accurate during the 4th Philippine Sports Tourism Awards after being recognized as the private sector’s Sports Tourism Personality of the Year for 2019.

The award cited MVP’s immense contributions to the sports tourism sector in the country. After serving as the first-ever president of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, Mr. Pangilinan went on to found the MVP Sports Foundation, which provided a good cross section of sports with the proper funding and training to produce world-class athletes.

Under his leadership, the country’s largest integrated telco PLDT and its wireless arm Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) were also able to deploy fixed and wireless networks in New Clark City as part of preparations for the country’s hosting of the 30th Southeast Asian Games. Aside from rolling out fiber infrastructure and cell sites, Smart also augmented its capacity and coverage in key areas around the NCC in anticipation of the heavy influx of crowds during the competition. PLDT and Smart were also the official telecom partners of the 2019 SEA Games.

In his acceptance speech presented by SBP Executive Director Sonny Barrios, MVP reflected the PSTA mission in upholding sports as a major pillar in Philippine tourism. “The unquantifiable benefits alone make strong case for investing in sports. But today, we are recognizing a more direct and tangible benefit — how sports could encourage tourism, and how it might eventually serve as a catalyst for economies, both local and national,” said Mr. Pangilinan.

While the absence of sports activities this year has left a dent on the sports tourism sector, various international sporting events in the country are already planned and laid out for the near future; with the goal of reigniting the spirit of sports and ramping up tourism. One such event is the highly anticipated FIBA World Cup. The Philippines, through the initiatives of Mr. Pangilinan will be hosting the international competition in 2023 alongside Japan and Indonesia. And, following the successful stint of Gilas Pilipinas in Bahrain last November, FIBA has recently announced that Clark in the Philippines will be one the host cities for the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers, with Doha in Qatar, Tokyo in Japan, and Manama in Bahrain.

“This award is not a culmination of the work we’ve rendered, but a mandate to push the envelope. Sports remains a high-potential investment for our country, and I consider it an honor to be able to continue supporting its development. We can improve our sporting landscape for the benefit of our athletes and, ultimately, for that of the greater Philippine nation,” he added.

The 4th Sports Tourism Awards, held in Clark Freeport,  was presented by Clark Development Corp. and Selrahco Management in collaboration with the Department of Tourism and the Philippines Sports Commission, and supported by Smart Communications, Coca Cola Beverages Philippines, Universal Robina Corp., and City of Mabalacat.

Other awardees in the 4th Philippine Sports Tourism Awards include People’s Television Network for News Coverage of the Year, New Clark City for Sports Venue of the Year, Dumaguete City for Sports Organizer of the Year (government), Sunrise Events, Inc. for Organizer of the Year (private), Tour de Cebu for Adventure Event of the Year, Philippine Airlines for Airline of the Year, Resorts World Manila for Charity Event of the Year, Coca-Cola Beverages Philippines for Event Sponsorship of the Year, The Mansion Boutique Hotel and Villas for Hotel of the Year, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority for Destination Marketing of the Year, Triathlon Association of the Philippines for Sports Association of the Year, TINMAN Ilocos Norte for Event of the Year (domestic), IRONMAN 70.3 as Event of the Year (international), Mayor Felipe Remollo for Sports Tourism Personality of the Year (government), and Clark Freeport Zone for Sports Tourism Destination of the Year.

Olympian Eumir Marcial faces US’ Andrew Whitfield today

OLYMPIAN Eumir Felix Marcial admits he is feeling some pressure a day before he makes his highly-anticipated ring return.

But the thought of winning his upcoming fight as a birthday gift to his promoter Manny Pacquiao is helping Marcial loosen up a bit.

The Zamboanga-native Marcial will face American Andrew Whitfield in a four-round battle Thursday morning (Manila time) which will be the Filipino Olympian’s first official professional bout to be held at the Shrine Exposition Center in Los Angeles, California.

“Dagdag motivation din ito kasi sakto pa na birthday ni Senator Manny d’yan sa Pilipinas habang lumalaban ako rito. Ito na muna siguro ang magandang regalo ko kay Senator habang nandito ako sa US,” said Marcial who travelled to the US last October to train under Freddie Roach.

Pacquiao will be turning 42 on Thursday, Dec. 17.

Last July, Marcial signed a promotional deal with Pacquiao’s MP Promotions after giving his assurance to the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (ABAP) and the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) that he will still pursue his Olympic campaign, no matter what.

The Olympics already opened its doors to professional boxers starting in the 2016 Rio Games.

Marcial qualified to the Tokyo Games after winning the gold medal during the Asia-Oceania Olympic Qualifying Tournament last March in Amman, Jordan.

He has since been idle until he decided to sign up with MP Promotions, which immediately gave him a chance to train with Roach starting last October.

“Lahat ng ito, preparation para sa Olympics. Kahit na professional na itong laban ko, lahat ng kasama ko ngayon, si coach Freddie, coach Marvin (Somodio), coach Justin (Fortune), Sir (MPP President) Sean (Gibbons), ang nasa isip namin lahat ay Olympics,” said Marcial.

During the weigh-in one day before the fight, Marcial registered 162.4lbs while Whitfield came in at 165.8lbs. The contracted weight is 163lbs.

“The real key is to focus on the Olympics, but to get an experience to have a couple of four rounders, six rounders under his belt because all of the guys he is going to compete against (in the Olympics) are fighting in tournaments or turning pro,” Gibbons said.

Giannis Antetokounmpo signs 5-year, $228-M extension with Bucks

TWO-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo agreed to a five-year, $228.2-million supermax extension with the Milwaukee Bucks.

The 26-year-old forward announced the deal Tuesday on Twitter.

“This is my home, this is my city,” he posted. “I’m blessed to be able to be a part of the Milwaukee Bucks for the next five years. Let’s make these years count. The show goes on, let’s get it.”

The deal ends months of speculation about Antetokounmpo’s future. Most of the talk centered around whether Antetokounmpo would opt to enter free agency following hints in the offseason that he wanted to be paired with another superstar.

With an average annual value of $45.6 million, it is the largest contract in NBA history, according to The Athletic.

Washington Wizards guard Russell Westbrook signed a five-year, $206.8-million contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2018, with an annual average salary of $41.4 million (per Spotrac). Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry signed a five-year, $201.2-million extension in 2017.

Antetokounmpo’s agent, Alex Saratsis, confirmed the details of the contract with ESPN. It includes an opt-out after the fourth year.

Antetokounmpo won Defensive Player of the Year honors, along with his second straight MVP award in 2019-20. He posted career highs in scoring (29.5) and rebounding (11.4) and led the Bucks (56-17) to the best record in the Eastern Conference.

The four-time All-Star has career averages of 20.1 points, 8.9 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.3 blocks and 1.2 steals in 528 games (463 starts) with the Bucks. He was Milwaukee’s first-round pick (15th overall) in 2013. — Reuters

Southeast Asia COVID-19 vaccine tracker: who will get what, when

In the evolving race for COVID-19 vaccines, Indonesia has taken the apparent lead in Southeast Asia with the delivery of vaccines from China’s Sinovac Biotech Ltd. this month.

Southeast Asia’s biggest and most populous economy has also announced multiple agreements to receive potential vaccines, as the nation fights the worst coronavirus outbreak in the region.

Yet when it comes to the Pfizer Inc.-BioNTech SE vaccine that has been bolstered by UK and US regulatory approvals, smaller but wealthier Singapore has the advantage—it expects the first shipments by the end of December.

Both countries are also involved in vaccine development and manufacturing, a testament to the variety of strategies employed across the region. Here’s how the region of more than 650 million people is dealing with differing fiscal, demographic, and distribution challenges in their vaccine strategies.

INDONESIA

Strategy

Indonesia needs about 246 million doses to vaccinate 107 million people aged 18 to 59 years old. The government will shoulder the cost of nearly 74 million doses.

• The world’s fourth most populous nation is banking on both Western and Chinese vaccines, ordering 125.5 million doses from Sinovac and 30 million from Novavax Inc., while developing 57.6 million of its own Merah Putih

• It’s seeking another 16 million from the global GAVI vaccine facility while talks are also on for 100 million from AstraZeneca Plc and Pfizer Inc. for possible supply

• Indonesia plans to be able to vaccinate 16 million people a month, with production seen as the main bottleneck instead of the logistics of getting the shots across thousands of islands.

Timeline

4Q 2020: Sinovac

• Indonesia received 1.2 million doses of the Sinovac vaccine earlier in December, with another 1.8 million shots to arrive next month

• Its drug regulator is running checks on the vaccine to issue emergency use authorization as soon as possible, after which it will begin vaccinating frontliners like health workers, police and military

• Sinovac will also ship raw material for 45 million doses to be manufactured by Indonesia’s PT Bio Farma by January. The state firm aims to produce 24 million doses a month.

PHILIPPINES

Strategy

The country wants to have at least 50 million vaccine shots next year to inoculate about a fourth of the population, the bulk of which will likely arrive by the end of 2021 or early 2022. Priority for vaccinations will be given to medical frontliners and workers in industries deemed critical, including low-income groups and those identified as at risk.

• The nation is eyeing 73.2 billion pesos ($1.5 billion) in vaccine purchases that it plans to fund with financing from multilateral agencies, state-owned banks and companies and bilateral sources, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez said.

Timeline

1Q 2021: Sinovac, Sputnik V

• Vaccinations could start as early as the first quarter of 2021 using Sinovac and Russia’s Sputnik V shots, according to vaccine czar Carlito Galvez

• He said the Philippines has informed the Chinese manufacturer it needs 25 million doses for 2021. Sinovac has pledged to ship supplies at least 60 days after a deal is signed, which the country aims to seal in December

• President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the nation’s Food and Drug Administration to allow emergency use of vaccines that have data from “adequate and well-known controlled trials,” cutting the approval process to three weeks from six months.

• Sinovac, Sputnik V are yet to receive the local FDA approval.

May 2021: AstraZeneca

• The country will receive as early as May 2.6 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccines purchased by local companies which pooled about P800 million ($17 million) to buy 3 million shots.

MALAYSIA

Strategy

The country seeks to buy shots for 70% of its population, more than double the current 30% coverage, Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said this month. It also plans to tap the COVAX facility to provide vaccines for 10% of the population while reaching out to 10 companies with vaccines that are at phase-III clinical trials.

• Malaysia will conduct its first COVID-19 vaccine trial in December as part of a government-to-government agreement with China

• It will be a phase-III trial on a vaccine candidate developed by the Institute of Medical Biology Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences

• Malaysia signed an MOU with China in October to be given priority access to COVID-19 vaccines that China develops.

Timeline

1Q 2021: Pfizer

• Pfizer will deliver to Malaysia one million doses in the first quarter of 2021, 1.7 million in the second, 5.8 million in the third and 4.3 million in the final three months of the year, Muhyiddin said late November.

• The agreement with Pfizer covers 12.8 million doses to vaccinate 6.4 million people and is contingent on the vaccine being approved by the US FDA and Malaysia’s regulator.

SINGAPORE

Strategy

The city-state has set aside roughly $750 million for vaccines, tapping the likes of Arcturus Therapeutics Holdings Inc., Moderna Inc., Pfizer, and Sinovac for supplies. It estimates there will be enough doses for its population by the third quarter of 2021, and will be able to offer vaccinations for the entire population of more than 5 million by the end of next year.

• Frontliners, the elderly and vulnerable will be prioritized in the nation’s vaccination program

• It aims to vaccinate the entire adult population, though this will be voluntary

• Vaccines will be free for all Singaporeans and long-term residents

• NOTE: In addition to those listed below, Moderna has concluded an agreement with the Ministry of Health to supply the country with its mRNA-1273 vaccine

Timeline

4Q 2020: Pfizer

• Singapore will receive its first shipment of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine by end-December. The shots have been approved by the Health Sciences Authority.

Early 2021: Arcturus

• Arcturus and Singapore’s Economic Development Board have entered into a supply agreement for the right to buy the ARCT-021 vaccine

• Arcturus may ship the first batch of the COVID-19 vaccine it’s developing with local scientists early next year

• Results so far show that the vaccine could be effective as a single dose, the Straits Times reported, citing a professor who co-developed the vaccine with Arcturus.

THAILAND

Strategy

Thailand wants to inoculate about 50% of its population by next year. It plans to get 26 million doses from the World Health Organization-backed COVAX program, 26 million from AstraZeneca, and 13 million more from other sources, providing immunity to more than 30 million people. Not wanting to rely solely on inoculations from abroad, Thailand is also developing its own anti-coronavirus shot.

• An mRNA vaccine research project is set to start the first phase of clinical trials in April and the second phase in June. The vaccines may be available by end-2021 after receiving emergency-use authorization.

Timeline

Mid-2021: AstraZeneca

• Thailand has an advance agreement with AstraZeneca to secure COVID-19 vaccines, which are expected to be approved and produced by mid-2021, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha said

• Thailand may receive vaccine doses by mid-2021 and these are expected to be distributed from then

• Under agreement with AstraZeneca, Siam Bioscience will produce vaccines at its facilities, and Thailand will receive technology transfer

• Thailand will supply coronavirus vaccines at “reasonable prices” to Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam when it begins production, Mr. Prayuth said.

VIETNAM

Strategy

The country is working on developing vaccines and will work with suppliers when vaccines are available, according to a spokeswoman at the foreign affairs ministry.

• Vietnam is in talks with Pfizer and other medicine manufacturers in the US, UK, China and Russia on acquiring coronavirus shots, Tuoi Tre newspaper reported, citing health ministry officials

• Vietnam’s Nonogen Pharmaceutical Biotechnology plans to start this month first-phase clinical trials of its coronavirus vaccine Nanocovax, with production in 2022 if tests are successful

• Two other Vietnamese vaccine manufacturers will start human trials for their coronavirus shots in February and March.

— Ian Sayson and Claire Jiao/Bloomberg

The office Christmas Zoom party: what to do, and what not to

Employers see office Christmas parties as an opportunity to improve employee morale, facilitate the development of relationships, and increase staff engagement, all of which lead to greater productivity and staff retention.

Whether you look forward to the Christmas party or see it as a seasonal obligation, that time of year is here again. Restrictions on social interactions mean that workplaces are turning to virtual Christmas parties as the trend of working remotely in 2020 continues.

The origins of the office Christmas party date back to Victorian times, with Charles Dickens and his tale of Scrooge encouraging employers to give food and days off to bring a little festive cheer. Nowadays, employers see office Christmas parties as an opportunity to improve employee morale, facilitate the development of relationships, and increase staff engagement, all of which lead to greater productivity and staff retention.

However, it could be that organizations are more interested in throwing an office bash than employees are in attending one. The risk of telling your manager that you don’t want to attend could be interpreted that you’re not a team player and that you aren’t committed to the organization. With the usual excuses like lack of transport and the absence of childcare difficult to feign, this year the Christmas party could be more difficult to avoid than ever. With that in mind, here are six tips that will help you think more positively about the office Christmas Zoom party.

1. Network

Evidence shows that it’s very rare to mix with new colleagues at an office party, but the new social norms of partying over Zoom—automatic “break out” rooms, for example—may just make this a bit more achievable. After all, sitting on Zoom for hours allows you to become familiar with faces that you wouldn’t normally spend time with.

Make a list of relationships that could be beneficial for you to build. Successful careers are often based on who you know, not what you know. The convenience of networking with senior managers over Zoom can be seen as an opportunity too good to miss. Despite the online platform, you could still find yourself talking to someone you’re desperate to impress.

2. Set realistic expectations

The true essence of a Christmas party is that you get to spend time with like-minded individuals with gossip and conversations happening spontaneously in toilets or smoking areas. Unfortunately, it is difficult to create spontaneity and informality using Zoom because the main room affords no privacy and simultaneous conversations are near impossible.

Instead, expect that this year, organized fun is likely to be the name of the game. Take a look at the vast array of virtual experiences on offer ranging from magic shows to cooking, pottery, and escape rooms, and hope for the best. It could be that the Christmas party will not turn out to be the tedious event you imagined.

3. Embrace technology

It used to be that the photocopying of body parts was the height of technological misfortune in the office. Then we all went online and a plethora of videos went viral of online conference meetings gone wrong.

The use of technology to host a Christmas party will always come with an element of risk—make sure you are muted. This year, the risk might come from that obligatory shot of the Zoom main room with everyone’s smiling faces shared on internal communications. Such images could be examined in detail by HR advisors and managers looking for evidence of organizational commitment.

4. Show the real you

Organizations have long talked about authenticity as the key to success. In fact, allowing people to be themselves at work has strong links to improved well-being. Seeing inside someone’s home, becoming acquainted with their children, partners and pets has become the norm. It’s an opportunity for everyone to show their “human side,” create a level playing field and talk to each other as real people.

For managers, it’s an excellent opportunity to hear gossip, opinions, and comments which you might not otherwise hear. For employees, it’s an opportunity to test the water informally and take the opportunity to raise that concern you’ve had for a while.

5. Don’t go if you really don’t want to

Employees do feel worried about how their attitudes are perceived by managers, so you may feel unsure about telling your boss you don’t want to attend. It’s understandable if you are worried about being labeled a party pooper, or gossiped about behind your back. But, feeling you should attend rather than wanting to attend could impact negatively on your well-being. Approach the decision by weighing up the pros and cons of going and not going. Make sure you do what’s right for you.

6. Keep it in perspective

Having a Christmas party to attend is a good sign. Christmas parties can be viewed as a sign of organizational prosperity and in previous times of austerity, they have been canceled or employees were asked to pay for themselves.

With so many people on furlough, having been made redundant or facing financial hardship, having an office Christmas party is a sign that you’re better off than some. — The Conversation

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