LIGHT AT THE END OF COVID-19 TUNNEL

Pharmacy Students Association of Kenya (KEPhSA)

LIGHT AT THE END OF THE COVID-19 TUNNEL

By Annabelle Jemutai, KEPhSA Blogger

Do you remember in March when everyone thought that the coronavirus pandemic would be an unwelcome memory in two weeks? Then months later nothing had reverted to normal? The despair of not knowing when we would resume our initial normal lives. We can confidently say that there is now a glimmer of hope since the big breakthrough that came when Pfizer/BioNTech published the first results for a Covid vaccine in November.

The vaccine is a new type called an RNA and uses a tiny fragment of the virus's genetic code. This starts making part of the virus inside the body, which the immune system recognizes as foreign and starts to attack. An RNA vaccine has never been approved for use in humans before, although people have received them in clinical trials for other diseases.

VACCINE TRIALS

In November 2020, Pfizer Inc and BioNTech, Moderna and the University of Oxford (in collaboration with AstraZeneca) announced positive results from interim analyses of their Phase III vaccine trials. On December 2, 2020, temporary regulatory approval was granted by the United Kingdom Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) for the PfizerBioNTech vaccine, which was also under evaluation for emergency use authorization (EUA) status by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and in several other countries.

HOPE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A LONG TIME

The prospect of preventing illness and death and avoiding the harm and misery of extended restrictions is a cause for optimism. 2020 has been a year of incredible scientific achievement. In less than 12 months, researchers have characterized a novel illness, sequenced a new virus' genome, developed diagnostics, produced treatment protocols, and established the efficacy of drugs and vaccines in randomized controlled trials. Many people are feeling hopeful for the first time in a long time.

On Thursday December 3, 2020, the Chief Administrative Secretary for Health Dr. Rashid Aman said they are closely monitoring the progress in vaccine development globally and will engage at the right time.

He also confirmed there has been no engagement with China or Russia on acquiring new vaccines, which he said are still undergoing final clinical trials. Among the frontrunner vaccines, the Oxford University/AstraZeneca vaccine is the only one being tested in Africa with trials currently going on in South Africa and Kilifi under the Kenya Medical Research Institute (Kemri). “We are already in some form of discussions on the availability of this vaccine when approved,� he added.

However, the World Health Organization Africa Regional Office has expressed frustration in the manner countries in the region are preparing for vaccination. The preparedness level is about 22% which is well below the desired benchmark of 80%. The Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti, highlighted the importance of strong planning and preparation for successful inoculations against COVID-19. The call came in as a new WHO analysis revealed that vaccination program readiness in the continent is lagging.

Dr Matshidiso Moeti, Regional Director World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa (WHO - AFRO)

So far, no official statement has been publicly issued by the government of Kenya on modalities of the vaccine rollout when it becomes available. Kenya, among other low- to middle- income countries (LMICs), expects to access a yet to be identified vaccine through a WHO facility called COVAX. Through this arrangement, the WHO will secure vaccines for about 20% of each participating country's needs. Individual countries, though, will have to meet the cost of their internal logistics as well as part of the delivery at about Ksh. 221 per dose.

Kenya is initially likely to target its 40,000 frontline health workers in both the private and public health facilities. Next might be nearly two million citizens aged over 60 years since this group is the most vulnerable to the coronavirus disease.

Kenya is working on a three-pronged approach: prepare for the UN-led COVAX facility, direct purchase and look out for donations from development partners. Some health professionals have speculated that Kenya might acquire vaccines in the first quarter of 2021. However, a lot of work still needs to be done.

Hope has been known to bring complacency amongst individuals. For instance, now that people are assured that there is a Covid-19 vaccine, they have become less vigilant in the prevention of the spread of the Covid-19.

Right now, is not the time to be complacent in the collective responsibility to overcome this pandemic because as much as the vaccine has been discovered, there is still much to learn and many barriers to overcome in the fight against the Covid19 virus.

Whether the vaccines prevent transmission of Covid-19 or mainly just protect against illness is largely unknown too. If the latter, achieving herd immunity through immunization becomes a difficult prospect.

There is a danger that the public might become complacent following the news of the vaccine, but how much more difficult will it be to ensure adherence to guidelines and restrictions when a vaccine is available to many others but others remain unprotected? These concerns will be irrelevant in places a vaccine is unavailable entirely.

The form of endemicity that Covid-19 will take in a postpandemic phase depends on vaccines, re-infections, nature and length of immune responses and the characteristics of the virus and infection. These issues and many others will determine the continuing impacts of Covid-19 on health.

Due to the efforts of scientists, there is now a light at the end of the dark tunnel that we have been in for months on end. The vaccine has brought hope all over the world and there is the assurance that 2021 will be better compared to 2020. We are halfway in the efforts of doing away with this pandemic and that is something that brings joy to people's hearts all over the world.

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SPECIAL GRATITUDE TO ALL HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS AND SCIENTISTS WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK TO SHINE HOPE ONTO THE WORLD. YOU ARE OUR FOREVER HEROES!