The race to develop a vaccine for COVID-19 is reminiscent of the race to the moon during the Cold War in the 1960s. The country that gets there first, gets to vaccinate its population first, and thus, emerges the victor. Where does that leave Malaysia? Do we have the capacity for vaccine R&D, as well as production? How does our lack of capacity pose a threat to our health security? In the first episode of a two-part segment, we speak to Azrul Mohd Khalib, CEO, Galen Centre for Health & Social Policy, and Prof Sibrandes Poppema, TS Jeffrey Cheah Distinguished Professor, who specialises in immunopathology. Prof Poppema is also President Emeritus of the University of Groningen, the Netherlands, and Member of the Board of Sunway University, Malaysia.