Covid-19: Vaccine Development

What is the issue?

The development of vaccine for the Covid-19 is a need of the time.
However, the governments should continue with routine immunisation as well as robust health measures for Covid-19.

How far are we from developing a COVID-19 vaccine?

Developing vaccines is a time-consuming and resource intensive process.
It takes up to 10-15 years from the discovery of a novel way to produce a vaccine to the licensure of a vaccine for commercial use.
There are unprecedented levels of data sharing and global collaboration for the development of a coronavirus vaccine.
Therefore, with a full push, a coronavirus vaccine (at least an investigational one) can be developed within 18 months to 2 years.

Will discovering a vaccine end the Covid-19 fight?

With more than 100 candidate vaccines already in development, the response from the scientific community and industry is unprecedented.
But, vaccine development on its own isn’t enough.
There is no global system to oversee the allocation of vaccine supply.
Many countries with the capacity to manufacture at the required scale will face pressure to supply them first to their own population.
Before a vaccine is developed, global access agreements are needed.

There will need to be some type of agreement on priority use.
The health workers should probably be the most important, followed by high risk and finally, the general population.

Will the Covid-19 fight disrupt routine immunisation programmes?

The Covid-19 outbreak is a reminder that infectious diseases know no borders.
The importance of preparedness and early detection cannot be overemphasized.
Investing in strong primary healthcare and immunisation systems is the first line of defence against threats to global health security.
The number of people missing out vaccines is likely to rise substantially.

How can countries mitigate such risks?

The governments should continue with their routine immunisation as well as robust public health measures for Covid-19.
Without routine immunisation, the outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases will overwhelm the health system on top of Covid-19 challenge.
Strong routine immunisation ensures people are protected against the spread of infectious disease.
Beyond routine immunisation, procuring emergency stockpiles are an important aspect of global epidemic preparedness.
These stockpiles are a last-resort insurance policy that guarantees vaccines will always be available for rapid delivery when needed.

Source: The Indian Express