Comment: Global vaccination must be swifter
Although 65% of the population was fully vaccinated by 9 February, when Hong Kong’s Omicron wave was escalating, only 33% of residents aged above 80 had received one dose — seemingly because of a mixture of complacency stemming from the region’s zero-COVID policy, and insufficient effort by public-health officials to reach nursing homes.
To prioritize the vaccination of vulnerable groups, the World Health Organization , agencies such as UNICEF and the non-profit aid agency CARE, together with nations that provide aid, technical assistance and vaccines, could work with health officials in low- and middle-income countries.
As such, the COVID-19 pandemic offers a rare opportunity to build on existing health systems to improve adult immunization infrastructure across low-income settings. Just $150 million of the $3.5 billion that COVAX received in 2020 was for vaccine delivery . And according to Seth Berkley, chief executive of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the international funding for getting shots into arms has run out. Last month, the White House asked the US Congress for $5 billion to support global vaccination. This amount — which has yet to be provided — is roughly one-quarter of the $19.
Until social-media firms or the US government take action to address disinformation at its source, social media will need to be continually monitored for untruths about vaccines, and evidence-based counter-narratives developed. Countries might need to do this for themselves, but given the common sources of vaccine falsehoods, a global monitoring effort could help.
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