Covid-19 has not been an equal opportunity pandemic. It goes disproportionately after the poor whose means of livelihood expose them to greater contact with other people. As the pandemic continues to spread around the world at different rates, rich countries hoarding a billion doses of excess Covid vaccines are lifting lockdown measures.
From the Associated Press: “Some Las Vegas Strip casinos have been allowed to open at 100 percent capacity, officials said on May 4, after showing Nevada state regulators that at least 80 percent of their employees have received at least one shot of coronavirus vaccine.”
European Union officials announced a proposal on May 3 to relax restrictions on travel to the 27-nation bloc this summer, though the final decision is up to its member-countries. “Time to revive EU tourism industry and for cross-border friendships to rekindle—safely,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said. “We propose to welcome again vaccinated visitors and those from countries with a good health situation.”
The improving picture in the West contrasts with the worsening disaster in India and other developing countries. On May 1, India reported a record 401,993 new cases in the prior 24 hours, while deaths reached a new high of 3,689 the following day. The nation’s hospitals and crematoriums could hardly cope with the sick and the surging number of deaths. Compounding the crisis, health-care facilities are also facing a shortage of medical oxygen, making them unable to treat patients with virus-infected lungs gasping for air at their doorsteps.
From Bloomberg: “It’s not just India. Fierce new Covid-19 waves are enveloping other developing countries across the world, placing severe strain on their health-care systems and prompting appeals for help. Nations ranging from Laos to Thailand in Southeast Asia, and those bordering India such as Bhutan and Nepal, have been reporting significant surges in infections in the past few weeks. The increase is mainly because of more contagious virus variants, though complacency and lack of resources to contain the spread have also been cited as reasons.”
Although nowhere close to India’s flare-up in scope, the spikes in these nations have been far steeper, signaling the potential dangers of an uncontrolled spread. Bloomberg said the resurgence heightens the urgency of delivering vaccine supplies to poorer countries and averting a protracted pandemic. Ranked by the change in newly recorded infections in the past month over the previous month, Laos came first with a 22,000 percent increase, followed by Nepal and Thailand, both of which saw fresh caseload skyrocketing more than 1,000 percent on a month-over-month basis. Also on top of the list are Bhutan, Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname, Cambodia and Fiji, as they witnessed the epidemic erupt at a high triple-digit pace.
“It’s very important to realize that the situation in India can happen anywhere,” said Hans Kluge, the regional director at the World Health Organization for Europe, during a briefing last week. “This is still a huge challenge.”
The virus thrives and flourishes in the face of political divisions and lack of cooperation. That’s why the World Health Organization said global cooperation is needed to mitigate the health and socio-economic effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. Global solidarity is essential to winning the fight against the deadly virus.
As rich countries recover from the pandemic, thanks to rapid inoculation, we need to remind them that they have a duty to contribute to a more equitable global distribution of vaccines, medicines, diagnostic tests, and oxygen. Unfortunately, the world has yet to see a concerted global response. And that’s a big concern. As we have said in this space before, none of us will be safe until everyone is safe.
There are compelling arguments on the possible consequences of leaving developing countries behind when it comes to vaccinations. As long as Covid is here, international trade and global supply chains will be severely disrupted. If vaccination does not reach the developing world fast enough, these disruptions can cost the global economy an estimated $9 trillion, and most of that cost will be borne by the advanced economies.
A scary scenario: The longer it takes to globally eradicate the virus, the more it will mutate, possibly reducing the effectiveness of the vaccines. Let’s hope that the vaccinated rich countries can look within themselves and figure out what they need to do to help those suffering from new virus surges.