Will Vaccine Nationalism Prolong Covid Pandemic?

Summary: Covid Pandemic is the biggest problem in today’s world. It already took millions of lives and many more are affected by this Novel virus. To get relief from this Pandemic, there is only one solution Covid Vaccine. Recently many countries have got the Covid Vaccine. In India, two vaccines are available like Covaxin and Covishield. The USA has produced Pfizer, Australia Covisheild, Oxford AustraZeneca vaccine etc. But the main problem is third world countries. When the first world and second world countries are having the vaccines, the third world countries are just waiting and watching. Even they do not know whether they will get the vaccines or not. WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus explained on Saturday, on the one year anniversary of the Covid as declared as Pandemic, that the vaccine Nationalism will prolong the Covid Situation.

• Introduction:

Novel Corona Virus is the biggest problem of today’s world. The dangerous virus made our life a nightmare where we were closed in our home for one year and now, though the situation became new normal, but not Covid Free. The vaccination has been started in the fourth trial level and human trial has been started. A lot of people have been vaccinated all over the world. The available vaccines all over the world are Pfizer- BioNtech, Moderena, Sputnik V, Chinese Vaccine, Novavax, Johnson and Johnson, Zedus Cadia, Covishield, Covaxin etc. Most of the Vaccines have been prepared by first world countries like the USA, UK, China, Australia, Japan etc. India has prepared Covaxin though being third world countries. Covisheild, Developed by Australia, got approval to vaccinate the people of 42 countries. India is delivering their vaccines in Brazil and other countries. But after all these there are so many least developed countries who still don’t have any news of vaccination.

Picture Courtesy: Scrabbl

• Vaccines and the Developed Countries:

The Covid Vaccine available in India are Covaxin and Covishield. Covaxin has been prepared and developed in Serum Institute, India. After certification from ICMR, this vaccine is at human trial level. Recently on the first vaccination level, 2.9 millions are vaccinated. Most of them are health workers, doctors, nurses etc. On the next level, the vaccination will be done for the army and police. Though it is a bit late for the normal people to vaccinate them. Covisheild, developed by AustraZeneca will be givven to the adults above 18 years as it has some side effects. Above 40 countries have got approval for Covisheild Vaccines. Besids this, the other vaccines generated are Immunitybio and Nantkswet by USA, REITHERA by Italy, CANSINO BIOLOGICS by China, VAXART by USA, MEDIGAN by USA.

• Vaccine Nationalism and Its Problems:

Vaccine Nationalism means the vaccine’s only availability in that country who had developed it. All the countries who have developed the Covid Vaccines are giving priority to that country’s citizens to have the Covid Vaccine. The first world countries are delivering their vaccines in very limited countries. The result of Covid Nationalism is dangerous. The effects of Covid Nationalism will not end the Covid Problem because,

1. The Least developed countries like South Africa, Latin America, Uganda, Israel etc who had not any production of Covid vaccine will have no opportunity to have the covid vaccines.
2. There will be no solutions of the Covid Pandemic because a part of the world will not be Covid free as they do not have the Covid Vaccine.
3. The World Economy will be down for the affected zone of Covid.
4. The Covid Virus mutates itself and changes its character. Recently Covid new strain has been affected in some regions. By traveling a person from the covid strain may spread the new strain virus and the result will be another Lockdown.
5. The relation between different countries may hamper due to delivery of Covid Vaccine.
6. The main factor is humanity. When the developed countries are having Covid vaccines, the least are just waiting and watching. They don’t know when they will have the vaccines or not. If the collaboration of countries will not work, the covid problem will not be solved.

Conclusion:

As the Vaccine Nationalism is hampering the Covid situation and also the world Economy, it is important to distribute the Covid Vaccine all over the world. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus explained that WHO is trying to start the distribution of Covid Vaccine in the least developed countries. India already started the distribution of Covid Vaccines in Bangladesh, Brazil, Myanmar etc. Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said that Pfizer would start the Covid vaccination in the different countries very soon after increasing the production. So we can said that the whole world will stand together against this Covid Pandemic and have to fight together. So to be united, The Vaccine Nationalism have to end up and equality is needed to recover the situation.