Omicron offers wealthy countries a chance to tackle vaccine inequality

A nurse prepares a dose of a coronavirus disease vaccine in the Eastern Cape, November 29 2021. Picture: SIPHIWE SIBEKO/REUTERS

Now the goal is to avert another bout of inequity. Already, the UK is moving swiftly to secure messenger RNA shots tailored to Omicron and other potential variants if they are developed as part of new deals unveiled on Wednesday. The recent discovery of the variant in the US may spark similar action.

“Inequity derives from scarcity, and when there’s scarcity those with resources will use their resources to meet their own needs first,” said Richard Hatchett, head of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations . “So the question would be — if this proves to be a really dangerous variant — will countries rush to secure supplies?”Cepi is discussing the potential deployment of modified vaccines with other partners in Covax, the global vaccine distribution programme, he said.

“We can look at wealthy countries’ behaviour in the past,” he said. “It would be highly surprising that they’ve developed some sort of social conscience.” It is a scenario that could play out repeatedly as the coronavirus continues to evolve. Some researchers foresee that vaccine updates could be needed if the inoculations slowly become obsolete over time due to variants.

One potential glimmer of hope is that China’s increased supplies to lower-income nations will spur other countries to follow, Bollyky said. Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged to direct another 1-billion doses of vaccines to African countries. But health advocates expressed doubts about significant change on the access front.

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