Vaccine rollout must be equitable

AS THE country expects to roll out its first batch of vaccines to counter the devastating impact of Covid-19, many will hope there is equitable distribution and this is a process free from criminality and corruption.

The aim of distributing the vaccine to as many people as possible is to create a herd effect and immunise as many people as possible so that the rapid spread can be curtailed. This will not be a speedy process with experts suggesting the country will go into a third wave before the impact of the vaccine is felt in any measure that is acceptable to be deemed a success.

While South Africa focuses on getting enough vaccines to turn the tide, vaccine nationalism has reared its head with reports that wealthier countries have stockpiled three or four times more than enough vaccines to supply to their populations while poorer countries are struggling to vaccinate half their populations.

Indeed, developing countries have curtailed travel from poorer countries as a strategic measure to prevent new infections. This drastic measure should have taken place at the onset of the outbreak but denialism and the overriding need to protect economies took precedence over what has since become a pandemic.

Closing borders now, as vaccines are being rolled out, speaks to the nationalism which threatens the global fight against Covid-19. The virus does not discriminate and neither should the distribution of the vaccine.