The choice of name is interesting. Is this a throwback to the space race as in, “we got there first”?
It isn't the death that is funny, it is that the name and its relationship with killing.
In the meantime, other vaccines will be created that work just as well. The vaccine might be manufactured faster and be distributed more widely.
Create a vaccine isn't planting a flag or even reaching a specific destination. Creating a vaccine is travelling a known distance in similar types of cars. There's only so fast you can go.
There's some truth to it, I believe, but the mentality is seemingly applied too broadly, to areas where there aren't any advantages - other than maybe reputation (which could be considered a real advantage).
I agree with you that the apparent focus on "me first" is misplaced, when the effort to create a reliable vaccine is a global concern. The emphasis should be on its efficacy, in solving the immediate problem together.