-By Aditi Aggarwal
Months after the mysterious virus began its deadly march round the globe; the look for a vaccine has taken on an intensity never before seen in medical research. All over the world, countries are trying to come up with a vaccine and a way to help people ease the process for the people suffering from corona virus.
While this effort continues, governments have told medical companies to make production lines to make sure that they are ready for distribution to billions when the antidote is ready. However, a big debate arises when the vaccine is ready whether it should be sent to areas most affected or within countries first. Some say that if the highly affected areas are under control the chances of further transmission will get reduced while some believe that within-country distribution is more logical to ensure every citizens’ safety.
It would be very difficult for officials to allow export of vaccines while people of their own country suffer. In India the Serum Institute — the heavyweight champion of vaccine manufacturing, producing 1.5 billion doses a year — states that it would “at least initially” first distribute the vaccine among the 1.3 billion Indians. It has also signed agreements in recent weeks with the developers of four promising potential vaccines.
In addition to the tension over the topic of distribution within country or most affected areas, a significant point has been brought on by Bill Gates regarding shortage of medical glass vials in the future, just like the shortage of medical masks and gloves arises now, which can be a major problem in getting it to billion all over the world.
Further if countries are going to export after within country distribution, coming to agreement over the payments for the vaccine or any other form of deal to allow its export may take more time which could be a major setback.
Another major setback is the constant false reports by people explaining their country being the first to have built a vaccine. Believing their country’s pride and profit depend on it which can’t be any farther from the truth. We must realise that “We are not racing against each other, we are racing the virus,” as said by Rd. Dan Barouch, the director of the Centre for Virology and Vaccine Research at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centre. “What we need is a global vaccine — because an outbreak in one part of the world puts the rest of the world at risk.”
That all-for-one sentiment has become a mantra among many researchers, but it is hardly universally shared. What gets decided and happens next is yet to be seen. While the people safely stay home in hopes of a safer world post the pandemic.