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“We will defeat COVID-19,” Dr. Peter Singer, special adviser to World Health Organization director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, told the Whig-Standard in a FaceTime interview from WHO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. “I do have hope, and I think better days are ahead.”
“Canada has been a strong multilateral partner,” @PeterASinger said of this country's role in the global effort to combat COVID-19. For instance, Canada has been one of the “top contributors” to the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator.
What are some of the logistical challenges in rolling out COVID-19 vaccination programs around the globe? “It’s getting the vaccine into the arms of literally millions of people around the world,” replied @PeterASinger, who was made a member of the Order of Canada in 2011.
Distribution of vaccines will be another major challenge, Singer continued. For example, some of the vaccines will need to be refrigerated at extremely cold temperatures.
It will also be important to set up a system to document vaccinations, @PeterASinger said. Countering misinformation and false information about vaccines will also be vitally important.
Why is it important to help the world’s poorest countries obtain vaccines and roll out vaccination programs?
“It’s important for reasons of charity,” @PeterASinger answered. “Canadians are a charitable people.”
“It’s important for reasons of charity,” @PeterASinger answered. “Canadians are a charitable people.”
Dr. @PeterASinger emphasized that “none of us is safe until all of us are.” The virus spreads quickly between countries, and that threatens Canada’s national security.
“We’ve had very encouraging news about vaccines,” @PeterASinger said. And he pointed out that there are in excess of 210 COVID-19 vaccine candidates that are currently undergoing clinical trials. And there are more than 10 vaccines undergoing late-stage trials, he added.
“It’s not going to happen overnight,” @PeterASinger said of the rollout of vaccination programs. “It’s a very significant logistical operation. I do think by early 2021 we’ll start to see people vaccinated after the appropriate regulatory steps are taken.”
Singer predicted that vaccination programs will gain speed throughout the world next year. “I do think it will be well underway by mid-2021, and hopefully in a very significant place towards the end of 2021. So I’m very, very hopeful about that,” he said.
“But what I would like to emphasize is the way to save lives now are the public health measures. It’s testing, isolating and supporting cases, tracing and quarantining contacts,” @PeterASinger said.
In addition, other vital measures include: physical distancing, masking, handwashing and avoiding poorly ventilated indoor spaces. And as a last resort, so-called lockdowns can be used to curb the spread of COVID-19.
Those public health measures will have to be observed “until we have a vaccine, while the vaccine is rolling out, and probably after the vaccine has rolled out,” he said.
With cases rising in Canada and around the world, @PeterASinger acknowledged that “people are hurting” and COVID-19 fatigue is also setting in among weary populations. However, people cannot let their guards down, because the virus is so contagious.
“I’m very hopeful and there are better days ahead,” @PeterASinger said again for emphasis. “But I do think we face a difficult few weeks or months, and we really have to soldier on and just push through as Canadians certainly know how to do.”
To read more of my interview with @PeterASinger & to learn more about the roll out of vaccines & vaccination programmes, please click on the link below: COVID-19 will be defeated https://www.thewhig.com/opinion/columnists/covid-19-will-be-defeated/
