The vaccine against COVID-19, a feat in the history of vaccines

A little over a year ago, the biggest vaccination campaign the world has ever seen began. Since then, the distribution of anti-COVID-19 doses has reached 55% of the world’s population. This feat surpasses anything that has already been accomplished in the history of vaccines, points out coronavirus+-+21+f%c3%A9vrier+2022″ target=”_blank”>an analysis by the Center for Global Development.

The average historical time from developing a vaccine to immunizing 40% of the planet is about 42 years, the Washington-based body’s analysis shows. The previous record was for the rotavirus vaccine, which hit that 40% mark in 14 years.

For COVID-19, less than a year passed between the identification of the virus, the development of a vaccine and the start of its distribution. Never seen.

“There was a miracle in the development phase of the vaccine, a miracle in its production and a miracle in its delivery,” said Amanda Glassman, vice president of the Center for Global Development. There is no doubt, according to her, that in the event of a new pathogenic agent, “we will be able to go even faster and be even more equitable”.

This scientific sprint was run on a stricken economic floor, also notes the independent body. The pandemic has cost as much as US$10 trillion so far, according to their estimates, twice as much as the Spanish flu.

Iniquity

All is not rosy in the distribution of these doses, observe the researchers. The richest countries have 75% adequately vaccinated their population, but in low-income countries, barely 6% of the population has received two injections.

Despite the hiccups, “there are signs of progress here,” says Amanda Glassman. “Everyone was disappointed to see the delays in vaccination in Africa and in several less fortunate countries. But it’s also very inspiring to see the vaccination curve in middle-income countries. They have a curve that resembles that of rich countries. »

COVAX, the organization that oversees the relay of vaccines to the most vulnerable, announced a few weeks ago that it had passed the milestone of one billion doses injected. “In countries that can benefit from it, [les vaccins offerts par COVAX] should, according to the models, make it possible to avoid, in 2022, from 1 to 1.27 million deaths linked to the pandemic”, thus underlined their spokesperson.

This text is taken from our newsletter “Coronavirus mail” of February 21, 2022. To subscribe, click here.

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