By now all (scientists included) are resigned to the fact that COVID-19 is here to stay and that we must learn to live with it. We may not be able to eradicate SARS-CoV-2 as we did smallpox and polio. The pandemic might eventually shrink to an endemic state which can be easily managed with vaccines. That again is a fervent hope. As of now the focus is to get everyone doubly vaccinated as fast as possible.
That a large percentage of global population is yet to be vaccinated, adds to the worry. This began as an economic issue. The Rich and the Powerful nations competed with each other to procure vaccine supplies for their citizens. They hijacked enough and more supplies while the poorer nations remained helpless, mute bystanders. It took time for the Rich to realise that unvaccinated populations are fertile grounds for new variants. In other words nobody is safe unless everybody is vaccinated.
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| Courtesy:wikipedia |
Vaccinating entire global population is a daunting task indeed. Even if adequate amounts of vaccines are made available, as is the case now, logistics of the supplies reaching every remote corner before the expiry date remains a challenge. Most of the developing nations do have very robust healthcare networks in place while most of the underdeveloped nations don't. With the result that as of 14th February 2022, though globally 10.4 billion doses have been administered, 80% of African population remains unvaccinated.
Coronavirus will continue to mutate, at times in unpredictable ways. Still, the fact that there are several vaccines already in the market and many more in the pipeline is certainly "a cause for hope and optimism" as Nature Magazine summed up in its recent Editorial: "but with a hefty dose of realism: the virus will continue to circulate and change, and governments must continue to rely on the guidance and advice of scientists. We will not always be able to predict the virus's path but we must be ready to adapt with it."
REFERENCES
1. COVID-19 will continue but the end of the pandemic is near
2. No one is safe from COVID-19 until everyone is safe.
3. Tracking Coronavirus Vaccinations Around the World
4. Dear G20 leaders: Vaccine equity is a must for Africa
5. Coronavirus is here to stay
6. COVID is here to stay: countries must decide how to adapt
7. Achieving COVID-19 vaccine equity means overcoming hesitancy
