In January, Anusha wrote about the initial inequitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines both within and outside the United States. She outlined how some individuals who need the vaccine were unable to obtain one, and the disparities in access between ethnic groups. Affluent countries were hoarding surpluses of the vaccine, which is affecting all global populations. Now, three months later, how have things changed?
Since January, the United States has been quite effective in flattening the curve. Daily cases have dropped from around 250,000 to around 60,000. While there have been roughly 32 million total cases of COVID-19 in the U.S., the reduced caseload is also a result of the vaccine rollout.
The Biden administration has implemented a plan to ensure vaccines are easily accessible to all Americans. Currently, President Biden has met his goal of vaccinating 200 million Americans within his first 100 days in office. But, there are many more people who need to be inoculated to reach herd immunity. Initial estimates stated that 70 percent of the population would need to be vaccinated or have had the virus to reach herd immunity. Other estimates reach as high as 80-85 percent. Since the percentage differs from one virus to another, it is challenging to predict the actual number of people who must be immune before the virus no longer poses a substantial threat.
Will we reach herd immunity soon?
It is hard to tell, and unfortunately, the rate that vaccines are being delivered depends on the country. In the United States, 137,234,889 million people have received at least one dose of a vaccine as of April 25, 2021, which is 41.46 percent. The feverish pace at which individuals were getting vaccinated seems to be slowing down. However, this is not for a shortage of people who must be vaccinated.
Many people feel hesitant about getting vaccinated because the long-term effects are still unknown, they are recipients of misinformation, or they feel healthy enough to not get vaccinated. As of the end of March, 25 percent of Americans said they would not get vaccinated. There are states in America, like Mississippi, that have thousands of appointment times available because much of the population is hesitant to receive a vaccine.
As people are less likely to go get a shot, we are further from reaching herd immunity. Other problems, such as mutations, can occur with the decreased rate of vaccination. It is expected that the vaccine may not protect against all new mutations. With more mutations, it increases the risk that our hospitals will become overwhelmed and we will be required to go back into lockdown.
Fortunately, there are many efforts to encourage people to get their COVID-19 vaccine. President Biden is increasing how many mass vaccination centers there are nationwide, doubling the number of pharmacies that carry the shot and increasing funding to help vaccinate vulnerable populations. Currently, over 30 colleges are requiring their students to get vaccinated before returning for the fall semester. Also, some companies are compensating employees for getting a vaccine. A more unconventional way of encouraging vaccinations happened in NYC. Under the slogan “Joints for Jabs”, a local group of activists gave away a free joint to anyone 21 and older who could provide evidence of their vaccination on 4/20.
How does the United States compare to other countries?
The distribution of COVID-19 vaccinates differs from one country to another. In mid-March, Israel had over half the population vaccinated because of the country’s early efforts and a deal with Pfizer. Less affluent countries do not have nearly as much access to vaccines, and thus, countries in Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, and Southeast Asia have a much lower percentage of their population vaccinated.
Guatemala received its first shipment of AstraZeneca vaccines on March 11, 2021. The delivery of 81,600 shots is a part of the government’s first phase of vaccinating their healthcare workers. The United States delivers 68.37 vaccines per 100 people whereas Guatemala’s rate is much lower at 0.92 doses per 100 people. The U.S has a vaccine supply to inoculate all of its citizens twice, Canada has over four times the amount of vaccines compared to its population, but Guatemala currently has enough doses for less than one percent of its population to be vaccinated. This data illustrates the power affluent countries have and their ability to accumulate essential supplies and doses before developing countries.
India is one of the most prominent manufacturers of the materials necessary for making and distributing COVID-19 vaccines. Pharmaceutical companies in India produce over 60 percent of vaccines delivered to developing countries. Globally, the Serum Institute in India makes the most vaccines worldwide. For a while, India was exporting its vaccine supply to other countries. India’s COVID-19 vaccine supply consists of the Sputnik V, Covishield, and Covaxin.
However, India is now facing a drastic rise in the number of COVID-19 cases among its citizens. The case average per day is around 350,000 new cases. This surge came as a surprise to many since the daily average of cases was as low as 11,000 just over a month ago. Health experts are attributing this surge to the presence of new variants and large communal gatherings and festivals. Countries that have over-stocked, like the United States, are experiencing immense pressure to ship materials to India due to the current crisis.
To follow up what Anusha wrote in her article, it is still critical that all countries receive an equitable distribution of vaccines. Without fair procurement of vaccines, the global economy will suffer. Also, even if affluent countries protect their citizens, variants can evolve in less developed countries and spread globally. Rather than a divisive crisis, it is an opportunity for countries to work together against a common problem. The only way to overcome this pandemic is to do so by ensuring collective immunity and global collaboration.
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