- It would amount to gross understatement when every common human being out there is asked whether each one of them would consider the year 2020 is anything but depressing and the answer forthcoming cannot be anything but vociferous YES. Such has been the devastation wreaked by the pandemic that the entire humankind is reeling under its impact to this day. People who have lost their near and dear ones would wish to forget the year as a bad dream. Millions deprived of decent livelihood would be doing the same too.
PC: aanp
- As the marauding virus kept spreading its dreaded tentacles far and wide, humankind pinned hope on the invention of an effective vaccine sooner than later as every country worth its salt initiated immediate steps to produce one in right earnest. Though skeptical initially of vaccine invention, which usually takes years of research and trials, the urgency displayed by the scientific community to prioritize the elixir of life to fructify in quicker time deserves special accolades. Human resilience displayed during tough times is unparalleled.
- Amongst the 50 odd vaccine candidates under various phases of trials as mandated conventionally by the scientific protocols, there are few candidates which are turning out to be extremely promising having cleared different levels of trials successfully without overtly debilitating after-effects on the volunteers. Most hearteningly, the UK has become the first country in the world to approve a fully tested COVID-19 vaccine, made jointly by the American pharma giant Pfizer and a smaller German firm BioNTech.
PC: Mark Atherton
- An announcement by the UK that inoculations are expected to become available from “next week” portends a much intended welcome measure as humanity is so desperate to hear some good tidings after undergoing unquantifiable duress right through the year. Knowing that an effective vaccine is amidst us now would go a long way in not only assuage the frayed nerves of the entire humanity but also tremendously lift the subdued mood of the universe to resume/give a fillip to stuttering economic activities back to previous levels.
- The mood in India too appears buoyant as the Serum Institute of India (SII), which has been testing the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, has announced it will apply for an emergency approval in the next two weeks. Welcome news all around on the vaccine development front truly mirrors the efforts of governments and other stakeholders upping the ante in dire times. Of course, there are adverse events reported, which are unexpected medical difficulties occurring during drug testing, and they are an unavoidable part of vaccine development as well.
PC: Justin Tallis
- This is where effective communication must be forthcoming on the part of governments, regulators, and vaccine makers to strengthen the faith of the public of any adverse effects that might have been encountered during the trials. Lack of information and hiding facts would lead to distrust undermining the good work of science. The priority of the Indian government should be to ensure foolproof vaccine rollouts which will pose tremendous logistical challenges, mind you. Half the battle is won if the infrastructure to rollout is in place.
