Dodging new variants requires global vaccine fairness

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Only a few days after the new COVID-19 mutant Omicron was first identified in South Africa, five have already been identified in Ontario.

The new mutants are labeled as “mutants of concern” because of many mutations, raising concerns about the infectivity of the virus and the severity of the disease it causes.

Little is known about the virus, but public health experts and human rights advocates sought global vaccine fairness to protect vulnerable populations from the virus and delay the emergence of new variants. I am.

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“Currently, there are no complete data related to Omicron variants or recently published variants, but in general, if you understand virology, if you can reduce virology, the virus will go from host to host. There is a clear reduction in mutations because the number of transmissions is less replicated, “said Colleen Davison, associate professor of public health science at Queens University. Explained in an interview with Whig-Standard.

“For our interconnected world, reducing viral replication in some way is also a global problem. Therefore, vaccination is a huge public health measure we are currently relying on. It’s one. “

Although 77% of Canada’s population has been vaccinated twice with the COVID-19 vaccine, Davison points out that vaccination rates are much lower and the chances of viral mutations are higher in many low-income countries. increase.

“If we look at Africa completely as a continent, an average of 10% of the population is covered by two vaccinations, which is probably very unfair in the country as well, so it is more networked and more resource-rich in each country. Vaccines are available to many individuals, but most of the population does not, “says Davison.

Low vaccination rates in countries such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where less than 0.1% of the population is vaccinated, are not only a national health problem, but also a global problem.

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“This is a moral issue, and of course a health fairness issue that we should be concerned about, and when considering the concerns associated with increased infectivity and the potential risk of viral mutations. , That’s also a concern. “She said.

According to Davison, there are many reasons to explain the unfair distribution of vaccines worldwide. Initially, high-income countries such as Canada and the United States were able to secure an early supply of vaccines at a time when the supply of available doses was very limited. At the same time, global agreements on vaccine sharing have been reduced or ignored by wealthy countries as the advent of booster vaccination has increased the need for vaccines in high-income countries. Beyond the supply of vaccines, Davison explained that countries with weak health systems have limited ability to distribute vaccines.

“It is really summarized in inequality and the fact that we have such inequality on a global scale, so if we focus on absolute poverty reduction and the dignity of each person, COVID-19 I think it will contribute significantly to improving health in general, including those related to, “she said.

It is important for Davison to remember that public health is not border-bound, and effective public health policies need to take into account the interrelated nature of the world.

Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox, and Adington Public Health Officer Pyotr Ograza reiterated the importance of vaccines in combating Omicron variants.

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That’s not a problem, Ograza said, but when Omicron variants spread to other parts of Ontario, “it’s too early to comment on their impact on the region.”

“There is no information on what the effects of all the mutations detected in this new variant will be. We know that more than 30 and more than 50 different mutations have been found in pesplomers. Although it is a small fragment of the virus that is actually involved in the attachment to human cells, it is also part of the virus targeted by the vaccine. Therefore, it is unknown how much of this virus escapes immunity. I don’t know how severe it will be. “

There’s still a lot that researchers don’t know, but Oglaza said vaccines are still the most important tool in protecting the population from infection.

“In our experience from the original virus to Delta, despite mutations and changes in variants, vaccines remain effective, immunizing the best tools for personal prevention and protection. It turns out that it will be the basis of our response, “he said.