Distribution of more vaccines works better than travel bans in variants of COVID-19

On the surface, it seems reasonable to limit the movement of life-threatening virus variants from specific areas where they are detected. It sounds like a quick and preventive move made to slow the spread of that variant. In fact, according to researchers and other infectious disease and health policy experts, travel bans have been imposed on countries in southern Africa, especially after the recent detection and reporting of the Omicron variant of COVID-19. Is not the case.These bans Called “unfair and punitive” A kind of “travel apartheid” by the Secretary-General of the United Nations.

“It’s a shame that some countries continue to block direct flights from southern Africa because of the Omicron variant,” Tedros Adhanom Gebreez, Executive Secretary of the World Health Organization, tweeted on December 5. .. African country expertise and its transparency and sharing, including data related to the Omicron variant of concern. This helps to ensure a safer world for all people everywhere. “

According to the WHO Emergency Officer, one of the obvious contradictions to banning travel is entry from these areas, except for those who return if the same citizen may return by plane. It is a banned country. A better response, as policy experts and researchers argue, is to address global vaccine distribution inequality to prevent viral mutations and the continued outbreak of mutations.

Godfried Asante is an associate professor of communication, differences and inequality at San Diego State University. His work focuses on how social inequality is maintained and how health inequalities, social injustices, and other forms of social violence and prejudice are normalized. I am. He took some time to discuss recent travel bans targeting southern Africa and the possible role of vaccine distribution in those restrictions. (This interview has been edited for length and clarity.)

Q: Q: Why is this kind of travel ban in this situation considered “unfair and punitive”?

A: A: Travel bans tend to be ineffective, especially in situations where the virus is prone to transmission, and the variants that emerge are already present in the United States and other countries before we detect them. increase. The idea that the government is doing something soon to prevent the spread of the virus makes it a more political theater. In fact, it’s already here and it’s already widespread.

This is especially relevant for African countries, as most African countries rely on transportation and tourism. Some of these travel bans are to limit it, creating unnecessary precautions that do not necessarily actually curb the spread of the virus.

Q: Q: What significant consequences do these types of travel bans have, especially for their recipient country / region?

A: A: For example, in Ghana, two years ago, African Americans launched a large-scale campaign to come to Ghana and reunite with their roots. There were two major castles in Ghana that were used to transport enslaved people to the Americas, and there was a movement for tourism. South Africa’s economy has been hit hard by COVID. In their recovery, they need that kind of tourism funding to revive their economy.

Q: Q: Why are these consequences important for people living in countries that have enacted these travel bans?

A: A: I think it’s important because we now live in an intimate and global world. Whatever happens in other countries will probably lead to what is happening here in the United States. Most of the reasons to be aware of here are to think about the supply chain challenges we are currently experiencing with materials and commodities from elsewhere. I think it is important to know that people are trading partners and that our economies are connected to the economies of other countries. There are mining companies, or Africans, who may want to travel to San Diego and spend their money. Some non-governmental organizations are helping women experiencing difficulties in parts of these countries to create products such as lotions, soaps and jewelry. We also rely on the movement of people between the United States and our country to procure materials, distribute and sell goods. .. When these bans are enforced, they cause interruptions and otherwise impede the movement of people to bring goods to market.

Q: Q: Since the vaccine was initially widely distributed to more developed and wealthy countries, Unfairness about how the COVID-19 vaccine is distributed.. Can you talk about the unfairness of vaccine distribution and its implications?

A: A: Due to the unfair effect of vaccine distribution, it can be seen that variants will continue to emerge if the virus is allowed to spread. Some of the concerns I had here (on vaccine distribution) were the misconception that the virus did not have a disastrous effect on the African continent. There were all sorts of stereotypes about the fact that the virus couldn’t take the fever, and sometimes there was a complete misinformation. It was claimed that the virus was not spreading because most of the continent is tropical and / or warm, but it wasn’t. There was also other false information about the fact that Africans are taking chloroquine for malaria — former President Donald Trump mentioned it as a treatment for COVID-19 — Africans have something to do with the virus. It led to the false belief that it was tolerant in form.

At the beginning of the pandemic, these misconceptions were growing, and perhaps Africans weren’t paying much attention to the fact that they needed enough vaccines to prevent the spread of the virus. Currently, there are multiple variants, the first of which has been reported from India, and South African researchers have identified Omicron.Omicrons are not from South Africa, but these variants are attached to the countries that identify them [the Netherlands reported finding the variant in samples dating back to Nov. 19, before South Africa first reported finding it on Nov. 24. Nigeria found Omicron in a traveler’s sample retested from October, according to NBC News]..

No wonder there are new variants. If we do not provide extended doses of the vaccine to some of these other countries, we will end up with more variants, more suffering, and develop new vaccines. I think it is necessary. If you want to reduce the emergence of new variants, you need to help increase vaccine distribution.

Q: Q: What role do you think this inequality plays in the travel bans against Southern African countries?

A: A: I don’t think we are expanding the supply of sufficient vaccines to parts of Africa. Less than 10% of African countries are projected to meet the year-end goal of fully vaccination of 40% of the population. [according to the WHO].. It’s huge. Issuing a travel ban without providing a vaccine is quite disciplinary. If you provide vaccines, I think they may have some rationale for these bans. Instead, we do not store vaccine doses and distribute them to the world, including the African Continent, but we have enforced these travel bans, more likely to undermine the economy and kill people. It is possible to create many variants.

Q: Q: Some argue that countries and governments that fund and develop these vaccines should determine their distribution terms. What is your reaction to that discussion?

A: A: It makes sense if we aren’t in a pandemic. The question is why companies do not allow the intellectual property of vaccines to be duplicated in other countries. India has a large center for replicating vaccines, and South Africa and Nigeria have recently decided to replicate vaccines. Modana and Pfizer say That is, these countries do not have the equipment to replicate vaccines, even if they share that information. So, first of all, we need to be able to train people about the equipment to produce them. The argument you’re talking about is fair, but it’s hard to understand the relevance of these barriers currently in place because we’ve already taken this pandemic for two years. We could have provided support and shared intellectual property, but we haven’t.

That way, we will not allow people to travel from these countries. These restrictions put an extra burden on our economy and the potential to learn and educate about viruses so that we can share ideas with others. I think it’s still very disciplinary. Therefore, while this debate about determining vaccine distribution terms makes sense in principle, I don’t think it will help during this pandemic. Whatever happens in other countries is very likely to affect us, so I think we shouldn’t apply the principles here as we are all connected.

Q: Q: Do you think richer / more developed countries should be forced to donate to poorer / less developed countries or otherwise provide increased doses?

A: A: absolutely. I think they should be forced, and the director of the World Health Organization also makes it clear that they should. Some of the wealth of these countries in Europe and the West comes from the wealth extraction of African countries. It tends to be overshadowed, but some of these mining and oil companies are still based in parts of Africa, so there is still an extraction of wealth from the continent.There are several reports investigating how the African economy is more ways Wealth extraction economy.. If so, given the pandemic, I think it is morally right to share what the richer countries have so far.