Africa urgently needs 20 million vaccine doses to stem the tide

AT LEAST 20 million doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine are needed in Africa in the next six weeks to get second doses to all who received a first dose within the 8—12-week interval between doses.

This is according to the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti during a media briefing yesterday.

A single dose of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine gives around 70% protection for at least 12 weeks.

Data on the protection from one dose after 12 weeks is limited, however Covid-19 antibodies have been found in the body up to six months after one dose.

The full course provided with a 12-week interval gives 81% protection for an extended period.

WHO said in addition to this urgent need, another 200 million doses of any WHO Emergency Use Listed Covid-19 vaccine are needed so that the continent can vaccinate 10% of its population by September 2021.

To date, 28 million Covid-19 doses, of different vaccines, have been administered in Africa, which represents less than two doses administered per 100 people on the continent. Globally, 1.5 billion Covid-19 vaccine doses have been administered.

“As supplies dry up, dose-sharing is an urgent, critical and short-term solution to ensuring that Africans at the greatest risk of Covid-19 get the much-needed protection. Africa needs vaccines now. Any pause in our vaccination campaigns will lead to lost lives and lost hope,” said Moeti.

“It’s too soon to tell if Africa is on the cusp of a third wave. However, we know that cases are rising, and the clock is ticking so we urgently appeal to countries that have vaccinated their high-risk groups to speed up the dose-sharing to fully protect the most vulnerable people.”

France became the first country to share Covid-19 vaccines from its domestic supply, donating over 31 000 doses to Mauritania, with another 74 400 set for imminent delivery.

It has pledged to share half a million more doses with six African countries in the next few weeks. The European Union and its Member States have pledged over 100 million doses for low-income countries by the end of 2021. The US has pledged to share 80 million doses with lower-income countries, and other high-income countries have expressed interest in sharing vaccines.

WHO said African countries that were unable to use all their vaccines were sharing them across the continent.

“While this prevents vaccine wastage, redistributing doses is costly and countries must roll out all available doses as soon as possible.

“WHO is working closely with countries to improve vaccine roll-out by optimising delivery strategies and increasing uptake.”