The majority of 76 epidemiologists from 28 countries expect that the coronavirus will mutate within a year to such an extent that most current vaccines are no longer effective.
Two-thirds of them estimate this in a survey conducted by the so-called People’s Vaccine Alliance, including Oxfam Novib and Amnesty International.
Nearly three-quarters of those polled said sharing patents and knowledge could increase global vaccination coverage. According to the respondents, this is important because 88 percent of them expect persistently low vaccination coverage in many countries to make vaccine-resistant mutations more likely to occur.
The People’s Vaccine Alliance, a coalition of more than 50 organizations, warns that at the current rate, only 10 percent of people in most poor countries may be vaccinated next year. The alliance calls on governments to do everything they can to make vaccines a “public good”.
Despite promises that have been made, nothing has come of the fair distribution of vaccines. If we can vaccinate in the West, but not in poorer countries, we have a global problem. essential, and for that, pharmaceutical companies should share their patents and knowledge. “