Time to think globally
Focus needs to be on ensuring everybody receives at least their first shots of vaccine
Like an increasing number of Canadians, I recently received my second shot of the COVID-19 vaccine and will soon have a good measure of protection from this virus.
This means that I will soon be able to enjoy many of the freedoms that have been curtailed by the pandemic, including unrestricted travel within Canada, larger gatherings of family and friends without distancing and a reduced need for using masks.
It’s a great relief to begin to feel that I can start to enjoy many of the activities I did previously but I need to remind myself that we are far from being past the danger and not everyone in the world is as lucky as we are here in Canada.
While it is reasonable that those of us in the Western world would make sure our citizens are vaccinated first, we can’t afford to ignore the risk that still exists in most of the world. If this pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that what is happening in other parts of the world will eventually arrive on our shores as well. Shutting our borders may slow things down but it will not stop the spread of viruses. If we are to find a solution to this pandemic, it needs to be one that can be applied to all countries, not just in our little corner of the world.
Once the virus is present in a population in sufficient numbers, the possibility of a mutation increases; we are already dealing with some mutations that have proven to be more infectious than the original strain. If we don’t act globally promptly, it’s quite likely newer variations will arise. One may develop that is resistant to the vaccines that we presently have and we will then find ourselves back where we started last year.
Considering how hard we all worked to get to this point, can we afford to take this chance now?
With this in mind, it’s a bit disturbing that Pfizer appears to be sending out signals about seeking approval for a booster shot for the vaccine while we are still in the process of giving out second doses. According to medical experts, there doesn’t appear to be any evidence yet to back up the need for a booster shot and, until there is, seeking approval for this can be seen as a grab for profit from a company that is already quite wealthy.
If such a need arrives, I am sure that approval will happen in a timely fashion but for now, the focus needs to be on ensuring that people across the globe receive at least their first shots.
Here in Canada, we’ve been extremely fortunate to have the means to purchase enough vaccine doses to inoculate all of our population, with doses left over. If all goes as expected, everyone who wants to can have their vaccines by September. Now is the time to send our extra vaccine doses to parts of the world where they can’t afford it and where the virus is running rampant throughout the population.
This has already begun to happen and the United States has shipped millions of doses to other parts of the world. To get through this pandemic, richer countries will need to continue to give to countries that are not as fortunate by sharing the vaccines they have purchased.
I wonder if the pharmaceutical companies are willing to do the same; having profited from the wealthy nations, will they now donate vaccines to poorer countries? It would provide good publicity for these companies but, more importantly, it would be the right thing to do.
If there was ever a time for the world to close the gap between rich and poor nations, it’s now, when all of us will face the same risks if we fail to act to protect all of humanity.