The Tribune

“I need to be blunt, the world is on the brink of a catastrophic moral failure and the price of this failure will be paid with lives and livelihoods in the world’s poorest countries.”

– WHO Director General Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus

The COVID-19 pandemic is arguably the most significant discrete global event since World War II, with just about every country affected, over 2.7 million dead and the death toll rising even as vaccine scepticism and anti-vaccine mindsets have taken hold among many millions globally. The economic devastation is widespread, though there are hopeful signs for recovery in some countries.

There is a worrying cum hopeful juxtaposition: even as vaccines are promising an exit from the emergency phase of the pandemic in some countries, there are surges with more infectious and deadly variants in others. This includes avoidable surges in some jurisdictions, surges made worse by indifferent, dysfunctional or disorganized leadership in various states.

Some of these surges are in European nations such as France and Germany, which have engaged in vaccine nationalism and have proven stunningly incompetent in vaccinating their populations. The European Union is looking paralyzed, shambolic and indifferent to the suffering of developing nations.

There is a furious race between lifesaving vaccines and the still pernicious virus seemingly growing more lethal because of human behaviour, government ineptitude and vaccine hoarding by developed countries, which WHO Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described as “grotesque”.

Vaccines offer hope because they reduce the prevalence of the disease in a locale or jurisdiction and they dramatically reduce the chance of serious illness and death.

Those who are eligible to take a vaccine but refuse to do so are gambling with their lives and the lives of their loved ones. To date, over 400 million people have received a vaccine.

The worrying signs include increasing illness among young people, many of whom have been lax in following preventative measures, including gathering in large groups for social events as health care systems continue to collapse.

Last week in Sao Paulo, Brazil’s largest city with a populace of 12.3 million, a 22-year-old COVID patient became the first person in the industrial city to die while waiting for a bed in the intensive care unit (ICU).

Younger

The head of ICU at Emilio Ribas Hospital in the city noted: “We’re seeing a high prevalence of younger patients, with no pre-existing conditions, hospitalised with very severe cases.”

This week, Medical Xpress reported: “In Brazil, like most of the world, severe cases and deaths from COVID-19 were mainly among the elderly during the first wave of the novel coronavirus last year.

“Now, the country is dealing with a devastating resurgence of the virus, blamed partly on the emergence of a new strain known as ‘P1’ or the ‘Brazil variant’…

“This time, the demographic profile of the victims is increasingly young. Before the trend emerged last December, the 30 to 59-year-old age group represented 20 percent of COVID-19 deaths in Brazil. In about three months, that figure increased to 27 percent, according to health ministry data.

“Half the (COVID-19) patients hospitalised in our nursing wards are under 60,” said Luiz Carlos Pereira Junior. “A year ago, at the start of the first wave in Brazil, that figure was 35 percent.

“Last year, I think the fear of an unknown disease had such an impact on people that they listened to experts’ recommendations. But they aren’t anymore.Young people have lost their fear,” said the head of the Emilio Ribas Hospital ICU.

On Monday, The Washington Post reported: “After surviving a bout with COVD-19, Texas Roadhouse CEO Kent Taylor’s post-infection symptoms grew increasingly painful. Taylor was beset in particular with a severe case of tinnitus...

“Last week, amid an escalating fight with the conditions, Taylor, 65, died by suicide, his family said. His body was found on Thursday in a field on property he owned outside Louisville, the Courier-Journal reported.

“Taylor’s death highlights the struggle of some COVID-19 patients to manage ‘long haul’ symptoms that are still barely understood by doctors, as well as growing concerns that suicide risks have risen as pandemic-related depression and anxiety spike across the United States...”

While countries like the United States, Canada, parts of Europe and the Caribbean may be approaching the end of the emergency phase of the pandemic this year depending on the availability and reach of vaccinations, the pandemic will continue to rage in other jurisdictions, posing a health and economic threat to countries that may reach some level of herd immunity in 2021.

As reported in Nature: “Although their forecasts and timelines vary, modellers agree on two things: COVID-19 is here to stay, and the future depends on a lot of unknowns, including whether people develop lasting immunity to the virus, whether seasonality affects its spread, and – perhaps most importantly – the choices made by governments and individuals.”

Last week, Tanzania’s President John Magufuli died at aged 61, reportedly from heart complications though some suspect it may be COVID-related. His rabid denialism of the disease included a refusal of the Tanzanian government to report COVID-19 statistics and a declaration last June that the country was “COVID-19-free” because it had been eradicated by three days of prayer.

He mocked mask wearing, suggesting masks may have made matters worse, and also mocked testing and neighbouring countries which instituted health measures to stem the spread of the contagion.

When the disease struck the East African nation of 58 million, he told his country to go to mosques and churches to pray and proclaimed: “Coronavirus, which is a devil, cannot survive in the body of Christ... It will burn instantly.”

Like many other countries, The Bahamas is having great difficulty in securing vaccines though Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis and his colleagues have been working furiously to secure WHO-approved vaccines.

Pandering

Sadly, as he has throughout most of the pandemic, Opposition Leader Philip Davis has continued to behave in an irresponsible and unstatesmanlike manner. His latest pandering jibe and political game-playing is querying why Bahamians do not have a choice in the type of vaccine they would like to take.

With many countries only having one manufacturing source for the vaccine and countries aggressively trying to secure whatever vaccines are available, his remarks were reckless.

He should be encouraging Bahamians to take whatever approved vaccine is available. Mr Davis has achieved a rare feat: with every new ludicrous utterance he continues to diminish his stature and credibility. Notably, he and his deputy leader have both taken the available vaccine.

Many may recall the comical declaration by the Opposition that it would also make vaccines free. This was after the Bahamas Government and the vast majority of governments had already made such an announcement.

Perhaps the Opposition may consider other helpful announcements such as, “PLP to make use of beaches and sidewalks free”, which might then inexplicably and laughably actually become a newspaper headline.

Meanwhile, the vaccine rollout continues. It has achieved high and widespread praise throughout the country. The National Vaccine Consultative Committee has done an extraordinary job in what has been a mostly seamless and highly professional and efficient process.

Members of the Committee, including individuals like Ed Fields, have demonstrated great generosity of spirit in helping to design and to conduct an outstanding and exemplary process.

Many Bahamians, including older Bahamians, have happily been vaccinated and are beginning to feel a sense of relief. But we remain in a pandemic mode and must continue to abide by the health care measures as deadly variants grip other countries. The rise in cases on some islands remains a cause for concern. We are vulnerable to a third surge.

As reported on CNBC, as early as mid-January, the head of the WHO issued a warning about vaccine inequality.

“[Dr] Tedros had emphasised that the development and approval of safe coronavirus vaccines less than a year after the virus’ emergence in China, in late 2019, was a ‘stunning achievement and a much needed source of hope.’

“However, he added that ‘it’s not right that younger, healthier adults in rich countries are vaccinated before health workers and older people in poorer countries.’

“ ‘There will be enough vaccine for everybody, but right now we must work together as one global family to prioritize (those) most at risk of serious diseases and death in all countries.’

“Without naming names, Tedros said some countries and companies speak the language of equitable access but continue to prioritize bilateral deals, bypassing COVAX, which is driving up prices and attempting to jump to the front of the line. ‘This is wrong,’ he said.”

The CBNC report informed: “COVAX is a global scheme co-led by an international vaccine alliance called Gavi, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations and also the WHO.

“It was established to ensure equitable vaccine access for every country in the world. It aims deliver two billion doses of safe, effective vaccines that have passed regulatory approval and/or WHO pre-qualification by the end of 2021.

“The WHO called on wealthier countries that had pre-ordered millions of doses of coronavirus vaccines, such as the US, UK and Europe, to share a portion of those vaccines with COVAX, so it can then redistribute these to poorer countries.”

As the Government continues to press hard for vaccines through purchases and donations, Bahamians and residents eligible for vaccines should take them in order to reduce the risk of illness and to promote herd immunity.

Following health guidelines remains critical as we await the arrival of vaccines that have been ordered. Even developed countries like Canada, as well as most Caricom countries, have an insufficient supply of vaccines, as medical experts are advising people to take whatever approved vaccines are available.

The end of the emergency phase of the pandemic in The Bahamas is closer because of the good sense and discipline of most Bahamians, the leadership of the Bahamas Government and the good work of frontline workers and scores of volunteers.