With South Africa in the midst of a great battle against the third wave of the coronavirus pandemic, important parts of the economy locked down, hospitals filling up and jobs scarcer than hen's teeth, the country's now swiftly-moving vaccination programme provides a strong ray of hope.
Rich countries such as the US and UK, which had the money to stand at the front of the queue to buy vaccinations for their people, are already showing signs of economic recovery.
Poorer nations' had no option but to take their places at the back of the queue, again. Many have called it "vaccine apartheid".
South Africa and India have battled to convince the developed world to scrap patent exclusivity, share recipes and allow the developing world to produce its own vaccinations.
This has yet to come to fruition. The protection of intellectual property and profits is clearly regarded by some as more valuable than the lives of poorer people.
But you can't keep good people down forever. The trickle of vaccines into South Africa has now developed into a steadier stream – and the vaccination of the population above the age of 35 is well underway.
Vaccinations don't prevent people from contracting Covid, but are drastically reducing numbers of severe illnesses and deaths. The only tools we have to stay Covid-free are the ones we know well: Practise social distancing, keep windows open, wear a mask, and clean hands and surfaces.
Comments