Course Themes:
COVID-19 Vaccinations not being used
COVID-19 vaccine insufficient and not holding protection towards citizens
About 14 months ago we thought our world was being destroyed by COVID-19. The pandemic experience changed our lives, especially how we interacted with people. It went from hugging your family and friends to waving and looking at each other from at least six feet away.
The last nine months have completely changed society, more than anything else. The COVID-19 vaccine began being tested and offered worldwide -- beginning with the elderly and health care workers. Most countries quickly offered vaccinations for their citizens, but some African nations have been slow to roll it out. The continent has given just 2% of all the vaccine doses given worldwide so far.
South Africa took in the AstraZeneca vaccines but chose to not allow them to be used. According to BBC World News, “The South African government decided not to use them, concerned the vaccine offered insufficient protection from the variant prevalent in the country.” Based on what I have known about the vaccine, it is very impactful and can save many people's lives. However, South Africa prefers Johnson & Johnson.
Many African countries that received South Africa’s rejected AstraZeneca vaccines did not use them before they expired.
South Africa has also decided to not use the vaccines that they were given because of possible cross-contamination between AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson vaccines in a Baltimore lab. According to the New York Times, “Both vaccines were produced at the same site. The mistake forced Emergent to throw out up to 15 million Johnson & Johnson doses after tests showed that the batch failed to meet purity requirements.” This caused over 15 million more doses to be thrown away or held up as they pass required safety tests.
South Africa now has one of the lowest vaccination rates of any country.
Overall, this has caused a heavy uplift of cases in South Africa due to the lack of COVID-19 vaccines that have been distributed while more people feel free to live normally again in South Africa.
Discussion Questions:
What is ONE thing that the US can do to help ensure that Africa receives safe/pure vaccines?
- Why should South Africa give AstraZeneca vaccines to its citizens even though they might be less effective than the Johnson & Johnson vaccine?
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