The vaccine against covid-19 became the protagonist of the year 2021. It is not a character, but a great advance in science.
A study revealed by the World Health Organization for Europe (WHO Europe) and the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) estimates that at least 470,000 people over 60 have been saved since vaccination began in 33 countries of the European region (December 2020 to October 2021).
“Covid-19 has claimed a devastating number of deaths in our region, but now we can say categorically that without covid-19 vaccines as a tool to contain this pandemic, many more people would have died,” said the regional director last month. from WHO Europe, Dr. Hans Henri P. Kluge (source: infosalus.com).
This week we learned that the South American region has the highest regional vaccination rate in the world with 63.3% (with both doses), followed by Europe (60.7%), North America, where this study places Mexico ( 56%), Asia 54%. The bad news comes from Africa, where only 8.8% of the population has received two doses of the vaccine (source: Our World in Data from the University of Oxford).
The numbers in Mexico are similar to the North American average: 56.4% according to the same source.
The Ministry of Foreign Relations (SRE) became a key element in negotiating with pharmaceutical companies and governments in times of greatest shortage of vaccines. Secretary Marcelo Ebrard has managed to negotiate with practically all the pharmaceutical companies that produce the vaccine. It’s easy to say, but the environment has been very complex. Let us remember that in March 2020 there was uncontrolled competition between countries to buy face masks. In some European airport the negotiations were practically taking place on the runways. Chinese products demanded by the whole world.
Regarding the enormous lag in vaccination in Africa, WHO director Tedros Adhanom has repeatedly pointed out the need to support the continent because by not doing so, new variants of covid-19 will continue to develop.
Secretary Marcelo Ebrard and the Permanent Representative of Mexico to the United Nations, Juan Ramón de la Fuente, have brought the issue to the Security Council. They did it in February of this year. During a session, Foreign Minister Ebrard urged avoiding the hoarding of vaccines and speeding up their delivery to the COVAX mechanism, the global initiative that supposedly guarantees rapid and equitable access to vaccines to all countries regardless of their income level.
For now, the most pronounced word this year is surely vaccine. And Chancellor Ebrard’s team has done a great job: 200 million vaccines.
Reference-www.eleconomista.com.mx