Vying for Vaccine

As if the worry over the Corona virus isn't enough, now there is a related topic to worry about. I read in today's newspaper that there is worldwide competition to obtain surgical masks and other protective equipment. And guess who is leading the fight? Apparently a shipment of medical equipment from China was on its way to Germany until we outbid the German firm. And on the vaccine front, our president offered $1 billion to buy a German manufacturer whose work in this area is promising. My question is this: since this is a GLOBAL problem, shouldn't we be planning and coordinating with other countries, regardless of their political views? After all, Russia send a planeload of medical equipment to us just last week. This is not the time for "America First" rhetoric. It is an opportunity to work together on a mutual problem and maybe even repair some relationships.