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1. Covid vaccines are hot commodities; we all want a shot. But should govts pursue herd immunity at home if other countries & regions are left unprotected? It's a question @hans_kluge addressed today. His answer: shelve herd immunity while shortages remain https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/calls-governments-not-pursue-herd-immunity-vaccine-shortages/
2. His argument is that we should focus on protecting the most vulnerable & healthcare workers first - everywhere - & it makes sense. The JCVI in the UK estimate that 99% of deaths could be avoided if we protect the 25m most vulnerable:
3. This can be extrapolated worldwide, Modelling from Northeastern Uni found in Sept the global death toll could be twice as high if rich countries buy up the first 2bn doses of vaccine, instead of making sure they are distributed in proportion to the international population
4. What would this strategy mean in the UK? Putting herd immunity to the side would see us divert vaccine supplies to countries which have none - while acute shortages remain. This would probably kick in after those initial 25m people are vaccinated.
5. But as we wrote here, that would be enough to end the current crisis we find ourselves in. The problem would come in if we start to see initiatives like vaccine passports, which add further incentives to an individual desire to be vaccinated https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/herd-immunity-vaccination-key-unlock-britain-long-will-take/
6. But already it looks like much of the world isn't listening to the @WHO & others on this, especially the super-wealthy, as @jriggers & @JKellyLinden reported earlier today: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/vaccine-queue-jumping-fears-abound-india-set-sell-doses-privately/
7. This follows separate concerns earlier this week that the Indian govt had approved the AZ-Oxford jab but only if domestically produced doses are not exported. A huge deal given that India is the largest supplier of vaccines to developing countries https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/pharmacy-developing-world-shuts-doors-india-stockpiles-oxford/
