Covid-19 vaccines need to be fairly distributed across the world | Annie Lewis

The past month’s news about several vaccines coming to fruition proves there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
Vaccines cost money. Picture: ShutterstockVaccines cost money. Picture: Shutterstock
Vaccines cost money. Picture: Shutterstock

I, like many others, breathed a huge sigh of relief when it was confirmed Moderna, Pfizer and Oxford have developed vaccines.

But alongside relief, I am also concerned.

The western world has already thrown money at a number of vaccines. As it stands, the UK now has access to 357 million doses of vaccines from seven different developers, according to the Gov.uk website.

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We’re not the only country getting doses in the bag early. German officials have said the country hopes to secure up to 300 million doses and a number of man-sized freezers have already arrived at the southern town of Tuttlingen to hold the Pfizer vaccine, which has to be stored at -70 degrees.

The next few months are going to be dangerous.

I don’t mean in terms of the safety of each vaccine (that is a separate debate) but more so because each country is going to have to navigate this political playground, with third-world countries who are already at their knees economically scrambling to find the money to save their people.

Vaccine inequality kills, as more than 1.5m people die each year due to vaccine-preventable diseases. Coronavirus is only going to blow this into proportions we can’t currently comprehend.

It is not survival of the fittest, it is survival thanks to a vaccine.

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The current standard for vaccines is to be kept at two to eight degrees and that is extremely difficult in developing countries which experience temperatures up to 50 degrees.

You may believe that because you are lucky enough to live in a country which has bought vaccines, you are safe. But unfortunately that is simply untrue – as long as the virus spreads, we are all at risk. We know that it can mutate.

The Access to COVID-19 Tools project launched by the World Health Organisation is already working to tackle coronavirus vaccine inequality.

But as their website states, ‘no-one is safe until everyone is safe.’

Spare a thought for those in hard tier three restrictions

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Portsmouth had landed in tier two, meaning a life can get back to a bit of normality after a month-long lockdown.

It is great news for the city in terms of entertainment venues and sport grounds being able to reopen.

Although the city still faces restrictions, we are lucky not to be placed into tier three.

Leicester has borne the brunt of 150 days of extra lockdown compared to the rest of the country. Greater Manchester, which was already deeply struggling, has also been placed in tier three.

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I feel incredibly sorry for its residents, and more so for business owners and those whose livelihoods depend on venues, shops and their country being open for business.

It’s a hard time to work in retail, so let’s support them

Another death knell for the high street as Debenhams falls into liquidation.

The news comes hours after Topshop owner Arcadia fell into administration, putting 13,000 jobs at risk during a period of huge economic uncertainty.

The 242-year-old retailer went into administration in April and has since cut 6,500 jobs.

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It’s an incredibly hard time to work in retail or run a small business. And for that reason alone, we should all be encouraged to support small and local businesses in our area this Christmas.

Let’s not allow Amazon to rub their hands with glee and cash, but instead support those shops and businesses we don’t want to disappear.