With the delivery of vaccines, a spark of optimism hits many individuals in the world with the hope of getting somewhere more familiar; the place we call normal. In Canada, roughly 50% of Canadians are fully vaccinated. Globally, 1.02 billion individuals are fully vaccinated. While caution is still advised for people who are fully vaccinated, people who are not vaccinated face a significant risk. In places with high poverty rates, and government corruption, these barriers interfere with people having accessibility to these vaccines. People of minority groups also have difficulty accessing vaccines.
Factors that impact the accessibility to vaccines:
According to WHO (World Health Organization), factors that influence people getting the vaccine are:
- Vaccine schedule: “Although there may be an appreciation for the importance of preventing individual vaccine-preventable diseases, there may be a reluctance to comply with the recommended schedule. While this may alleviate hesitancy issues, accommodating individual demands are not feasible at a population level”- WHOÂ
- Costs: “An individual may have confidence in a vaccine’s safety and the system that delivers it, be motivated to vaccinate, but not be able to afford the vaccine or the costs associated with getting themselves and their children to the immunization point.” – WHO
- Design of the program delivery: “Delivery mode can affect vaccine hesitancy in multiple ways. Some parents may not have confidence in a vaccination coming to the house; or a campaign approach driven by the government. Alternatively, if a health center is too far or the hours are inconvenient”- WHO
What action is being taken to get vaccines to people?
From the past G7 summit, groups of wealthy nations pledged extra doses for low and middle-income countries. This was a promise from Joe Biden to send 500 million Pfizer vaccines, UK pledged to send 100 million vaccines, France, Germany, and Japan pledged to send 30 million vaccines each. In Africa, cases have risen. According to a science Journalist T.V Padma, during the week ending in June 27th, infections in the Democratic Republic of Congo rose by 39% between June 13th-20th, and by 25% by June 27th. Many countries in Africa are also experiencing the third wave.
To help in this situation, The World Bank has given financial aid to secure 400 million doses of the single-shot vaccine from Johnson and Johnson. COVAX also aims to provide 2 billion doses to low-income countries. This has started slow as many high-income countries have more access. (An issue these countries face is the lack of purchasing power. While many negotiate with vaccine companies, they are often put last on the list as rich countries have more purchasing power. With all the help to try and get people vaccinated, researchers predict that only one-fifth of the population will be vaccinated by the end of 2021.
Places with higher populations and people living in poverty struggle to access vaccines. Ironically, while India plays a role in vaccine production, recent articles have suggested that only 4% of people in India are vaccinated. This is not only something to blame on the population but also, the cost for a shot is $20. Not being able to afford the shot also puts some at a disadvantage, as some employers in India have policies about having to get the vaccine in order to work.
What role do governments play in the distribution?
The UNODC (United Nations of Drugs and Crime) also recognizes the possible corruption there is, as some places sign private agreements to secure many vaccines for higher-income populations. Governments also examine who in the population needs the vaccine the most. Currently, many governments are trying to ensure that people receive the first dose of the vaccine. Only 1 percent of Africa’s population is fully vaccinated. Some have received more due to COVEX; however, some still have not gotten a lot. In some scenarios, the government is not to blame for vaccine distribution as delivery takes a long time and due to rising concerns about the new variants.
Issues people of minorities have faced:
Research from the U.K. has shown that twice as many people not of minority groups have accessed vaccines, whereas the people that have not been vaccinated have faced issues such as constitutional racism. Other issues people of minorities have faced are inadequate health insurance and insufficient access to information.
What can be done?
While there is much to be done to ensure people are vaccinated, there are sites we can donate to help out. People can also speak out more to try and help people in need. The quicker people in poverty getting vaccinated, the faster they can continue to work towards having a better lifestyle.
Above is a link to donate
“Vaccines are one of our most important tools for preventing outbreaks and keeping safe. While most children today are vaccinated, far too many are left behind. Unacceptably, it’s often those who are most at risk- the poorest the most marginalized, those touched by conflict, or forced from their homes- who are persistently missed” -Dr. Tedros Adhamon Ghetreysus (General WHO)
Sources:
https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-immunization-week/2020/key-messages
https://www.nature.com/search?author=%22T.%20V.%20Padma%22
https://qz.com/1990168/consumer-attitudes-about-pfizer-jj-and-other-covid-19-vaccine-brands/
Source for feature image: 2
